Rachel Sennott’s new show, “I Love LA,” premiered earlier this November. While Sennott’s roles in recent hits like “Shiva Baby,” “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” and “Bottoms” gave audiences a taste of her lively, humorous nature, it’s exciting to see her talents flourish in a production of her own.
Sennott plays Maia, a young woman trying to build a career at a social media marketing firm in Los Angeles. Maia plans to celebrate her 27th birthday with her boyfriend, Dylan (Josh Hutcherson), and her friends, Alani (True Whitaker) and Charlie (Jordan Firstman), when an old friend she had a falling-out with shows up at her apartment uninvited.
Tallulah (Odessa A’zion) is an up-and-coming social media influencer sitting at the crowded table of internet fame. She doesn’t just make an entrance as a side character, but captures the screen entirely. She avoids the elephant in the room regarding her and Maia’s prior conflicts. Still, she forces Maia to go out for her birthday, despite Maia’s established wish to stay home and celebrate the following day.
I felt seen watching “I Love LA” for many reasons, but primarily because of the familiar elements in Tallulah and Maia’s dynamic. Props to A’zion for depicting Tallulah so effortlessly that her presence triggered memories of my own previous dysfunctional friendships. Tallulah seems to be someone who always gets what she wants, partially because she does not take no for an answer, and lacks the self-awareness to recognize how often she makes everything about herself. Yet her larger-than-life presence is intoxicating, and when someone so self-important makes you feel important too, it’s easy to ignore their less appealing qualities.
Maia, being on the other end of this push-and-pull, stands as her codependent shadow, suppressing her feelings of annoyance and focusing on the high-highs of reuniting with Tallulah, who makes it even easier to do so when she asks Maia to become her manager.
The supporting characters encapsulate the darkly witty elements just as much as Maia and Tallulah do. Josh Hutcherson was a pleasant surprise, as I never quite recovered from his absence in recent productions after his role as Peeta in “The Hunger Games.”
Whitaker plays Alani, the classic nepo baby whose father appointed her to the fictional role of “VP of Creative Projects” at the company, and Firstman plays Charlie, a stylist working for a hellish pop star, Mimi (Ayo Edebiri), who owns a bedazzled vape and wants Zendaya to play her mother in her music video. If Mimi’s description didn’t depict this clearly enough, nearly every character is ridiculous and superficial, yet hilarious, which can be attributed to Sennott’s honest and relatable writing.
Firstman deserves an extra shoutout, though, as he portrays Charlie’s humor seamlessly amid his conversations. For example, in the middle of fitting his boss for a music video, he said, “Mimi, I forgot to tell you, Acne sent over an extra jacket for you that’s like, way too big. I don’t understand, it’s like, they randomly sent my size, which I’m like, I can send it back, but…”
Setting aside the plot, I adored the camerawork, which I appreciate even more in a production whose main intention is to be comedic. Humor and beauty are not mutually exclusive! Thanks to cinematographer Andy Rydzewski, I didn’t feel as angry with Tallulah for hijacking Maia’s birthday plans, as the scene was followed by such beautiful shots of them driving along the Pacific Coast Highway and exploring Erewhon.
“I Love LA” reminds me a bit of “Schitt’s Creek,” as the actors depict absurdity in a way that allows audiences to appreciate both the satire, the underlying truths about relationships, and self-identity. The show expertly balances comedy with genuine emotion, making it a light-hearted yet memorable reflection on navigating life in a city defined by superficiality.
My only critique is that HBO Max is releasing episodes at a healthy, weekly pace, or as I see it, spitefully withholding my new vice from me. I love “I Love LA,” and I think it’s Gen Z’s new television goldmine.
