IFC Films has debuted a dazzling trailer for Gia Coppola's new film, Mainstream, starring Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, The Amazing Spider-Man) and Maya Hawke (Stranger Things, Little Women).
Mainstream follows a young woman (Maya Hawke) who thinks she’s found a path to internet stardom when she starts making YouTube videos with a charismatic stranger (Andrew Garfield) – until the dark side of viral celebrity threatens to ruin them both.
From what I can gather, Mainstream wants its audience to question the very nature of social media. How much do we allow it to govern our lives? Has the modern age of "cool" devolved us all into consumers of smoke and mirrors? What is it like to grow up with a social media presence? Is that lifestyle harmful to who we are and what we can become? Is the demand to create content pushing us toward becoming undesirable individuals? Mainstream will leave you analyzing your relationship with social media while acting as a cautionary fairytale about what our culture values and the psychological dangers that can come with it.
Joining Garfield and Hawke as members of the Mainstream cast are Nat Wolf (Paper Towns, Home Again), and Jason Schwartzman (Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel). The film also features appearances by Johnny Knoxville, Alexa Demie, Colleen Camp, Jacqui Getty, Nick Darmstaedter, Juanpa Zurita, Adam Barnhart, Marshall Bell, and social media stars Patrick Starr and Jake Paul.
Directed and co-written by Gia Coppola with Tom Stuart, Mainstream is Coppola's second feature film after 2013's Palo Alto.
Man, if 2020 gave us new films in drips and drabs, 2021 looks to be swinging for the fences. With so many films receiving simultaneous releases in theaters and on streaming platforms, this year is looking to offer some real stunners.
Mainstream is scheduled to open in select theaters on May 7th. The film will also debut on digital and VOD platforms on the same date.