Margarita Levlansky (Anna Baryshnikov), the heroine of the genial comedy “Idiotka,” is a downtrodden fashion designer who lives in the Russia section of West Hollywood. Named after the Bulgakov character, not the cocktail, she hopes to enter “Slay, Serve, Survive,” a fashion competition reality show, to win $100,000 and save her impoverished family.
“I’m doing it for the girls and the gays,” she said in the film’s opening moments as she records her audition tape, adding that her taste is “old world trash and treasure.” She sees fashion as a way of “being someone new, every day.” Given how awful her life is — Margarita lives with her grandmother, Gita (Galina Jovovich), her just-out-of-jail father, Samuel (Mark Ivanir), and her hot brother, Nerses (Nerses Stamos), in a too-small apartment that often lacks running water — who can blame her?
“Idiotka” (a dumb title) picks up when Margarita is encouraged by producer Nicol Garcia (Camila Mendes) to participate in the unscripted fashion competition series hosted by Oliver Knowles (out gay Owen Thiele, killing it). Nicol wants Margarita to “pull back the curtain on her life” to get her authentic self — and manic family — on screen. The trouble is that Samuel wants nothing to do with the series. An extended subplot has Nicol pushing Margarita to get his signature to use the (not so) juicy footage featuring him or she will be cut from the show like a stray thread.
Director Nastasya Popov, who cowrote the film with Tess Cohen, gently skewers the fashion reality TV competition shows, with catchphrases and challenges such as one that uses yuzu as a design element. The satire is broad, and “Idiotka” coasts by on its charm and Margarita’s desperation. For one contest, she creates a glamorous outfit that showcases her response to her father’s orange prison jumpsuit.
That said, the humor in “Idiotka” never generates much more than a smile. It is funny when judges Emma (Julia Fox), Jonathan (out gay Benito Skinner), and Candy (Saweetie) don’t hold back in their assessments. And these fashionista’s outfits, such as Jonathan’s sweater with oversized sleeves, do amuse. Alas, most of the clothes designed for the various runway projects are unattractive. Perhaps this is part of the satire, but it is disappointing given the potential of mocking the pretensions of designers.
Likewise, a possible romance in the film also feels like a missed opportunity — especially since both male design contestants read as straight. When Margarita is paired with Jung-soo (the sexually fluid Jake Choi), she reluctantly gets to know him. But rather than flirting, she makes a discovery that could influence the outcome of the contest.
The suspense of the competition series feels very low stakes. This is partly because Nicol guides Margarita with tips about being more “relatable” or coaching her on how to deliver her speech about the eviction notice her family received to gain sympathy.
Popov uses the reality show as a way of pivoting back to Margarita’s family for the drama, which feels like a mistake. The conflict Margarita has with her father takes over the core of the film, but their fraught relationship feels slight. When Margarita gives her dad a “makeover,” it feels silly, not sincere. Better are Margarita’s exchanges with Gita, her “inspiration.” (The film is dedicated to the director’s grandmother). Gita is a wonderfully outsized personality and Jovovich injects the series (and the film) with some verve whenever she is on screen. It is cute to see Gita wearing “Kalvin Kleins” clothes — and Margarita has been known to replace designer labels on knockoff clothing, a counterfeiting operation that gets her into trouble but also defines her style.
Too often “Idiotka” feels more like a sketch than a fully developed feature. Margarita has eczema, perhaps for no reason other than just to make her suffer further. In addition, Gita discloses something late in the film that comes out of nowhere to pull at the heartstrings. Other scenes, such as Nerses, an aspiring musician, hoping to connect with a record producer, or Samuel tending to Oleg (Marcelo Tubert) in a sauna in an effort to get money from him, feel superfluous.
The film, which clocks in at a nimble 82 minutes, never drags, but some sequences are edited too quickly — as if Popov is trying to compress time lest viewers get bored or to appeal to the TikTok generation.
Anna Baryshnikov acquits herself well here, even though at times she may remind viewers of Alicia Silverstone’s Cher in “Clueless” — but with a less fabulous fashion sense. The supporting cast all got the assignment and give committed performances even if their roles are one-note.
“Idiotka” is an affable film, and obviously a labor of love for Popov, but it really could have been a sharper satire.
“Idiotka” | Directed by Nastasya Popuv | Opening February 27 at the Alamo Brooklyn | Distributed by Utopia
