INFLUENCED
(director: Rachel Israel; screenwriters: Sean Crespo, Jill Kargman, Carol Ray Hartsell; cinematographer: Daniel Vecchione; editor: Jessica Baclesse; music: Josh Landau; cast: Jill Kargman (Dzanielle), David Krumholtz (Gary), Jenny Mollen (Liz Hittler), Judd Goodstein (Jared), (), Ellie Birn (Dakota), Justin Bartha (Jordan), Eugene Cordero (Yuki, dog walker), Clara Wong (Zhija Du, beauty salon worker), Jo Yang (Changying/Janet, beauty salon worker), Sol Miranda (Pillar), Jessica Capshaw (Amy), Christine Taylor (McKinley, snobby socialite), Mindy Cohn (Tess), Jason Biggs (Thief), Nina Mehta (Eliza, homemaker), Rebecca Naomi Jones (Pam, psychologist), Nathan Lee Graham (Connor), Laura Bell Bundy (Blagdanorova Hammerman), Gwyneth Paltrow (cousin Kim), Drew Barrymore (Self), Matt Damon (Self); Runtime: 88; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: S.J. Allocco, Steve Ast, Mandy Ward, Arielle Haller-Silverstone; Brainstorm Media; 2026)
“A zany satiric comedy with a crude sense of humor.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
It’s a zany satiric comedy with a crude sense of humor about a phony who promotes herself to feel important as a social-media influencer, expecting to get a million followers. It’s boldly directed by Rachel Israel (“The Floaters”/”Keep The Change”) and written by Sean Crespo, Jill Kargman, and Carol Ray Hartsell.
The divorced materialistic social-media influencer Dzanielle (Jill Kargman) was raised on Long Island by working-class parents and now lives with her teenage twins Dakota (Ellie Birn) and Jared (Judd Goodstein) on Manhattan’s prestigious Upper East Side, where she’s become a socialite. She recently split from her high-level corporate executive husband Jordan (Justin Bartha) because he cheated on her.
Her gentle kids, to her dismay, befriend the chatty homeless Gary (David Krumholtz) who lives in their neighborhood. She uses that opportunity to exploit their friendship with him by pretending to be giving charity to the street person.
It’s a tiresome pic telling us that seeking fame is shallow, as if we didn’t know. Cameos by Matt Damon and Drew Barrymore go nowhere, as does a subplot about a popular dog walker for the rich and famous named Yuki (Eugene Cordero).
It played at the Miami Jewish Film Festival.
REVIEWED ON 5/30/2026 GRADE: C+
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