Film

Please Stand By

Name: Please Stand By
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2018
Cast: Dakota Fanning, Alice Eve, Toni Collette, River Alexander, Shawn Roe

Coming-of-age

A tender comedy about Wendy, an autistic young woman who escapes her caregiver to hand-deliver her meticulously crafted Star Trek script to a Hollywood competition. It's funny and moving without being patronizing, grounded in character rather than inspiration-porn tropes, and genuinely interested in how Wendy sees the world.

TMDb rating

3.4

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy character-first comedies where a stubborn, unusual heroine's single-minded logic does the funny work and the sadness creeps in quietly, especially if you love Star Trek.

Skip it if you want a sharp, fast comedy with a tight plot, since this is gentle, episodic and content to wander, and its sweetness can tip into sentimental.

What it asks of you: Ninety-three minutes of loose, wandering rhythm that asks you to stay with a character more than chase a plot, letting the tone slide between giggles and ache.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

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The wildcard

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