Summary
The premise is exciting enough, but the heartfelt writing and Jake Johnson’s direction elevate it to a cerebral yet funny parodic take on its subject matter.
Self Reliance is a comedy thriller marking Jake Johnson’s first time sitting in the director’s chair after he became a household name thanks to his starring role in New Girl. The movie made its debut at the SXSW Film Festival before becoming available to stream on Hulu.
Featuring a simple yet effective premise, witty dialogue, and an ensemble cast including Anna Kendrick, Christopher Lloyd, and Natalie Morales, this little gem will keep you engaged and entertained for the entire runtime.
Tommy’s life has been falling apart since his long-term girlfriend left him. He lives with his mother and repeatedly goes to his ex’s house without the courage to knock on her door. After one such unsuccessful visit, Tommy is stopped by Andy Samberg in a limousine, who informs him that he’s been “chosen.”
A mysterious dark web group has been keeping tabs on Tommy and wants him for an underground reality TV-type game. The rules are simple, yet terrifying; If he makes it to the end of the game, Tommy gets to walk away with $1 million in cash. Several unnamed assassins will spend the month trying to kill him, but they can only attack when Tommy is alone.
Thinking he’s found a loophole, Tommy accepts to participate in the game and tries asking his family for help. Unsurprisingly, not a single member of Tommy’s inner circle believes this dark web game is real, and no one wants to be around him 24/7. His two sisters think he’s having some sort of mental health episode, while his mother is close to kicking him out of the house.
Tommy makes it through the first couple weeks by hiring a homeless man named James to act as his shadow until he comes across Maddy, another player who agrees to partner up with him for the remainder of the game.
As absurd as the premise is, it says a lot about our society’s obsession with watching people reach their breaking points on reality TV. When we first meet the protagonist, he’s desperate enough to participate in the “game,” making him the ideal everyman we want to see go through the ordeal.
Why you need to stream Self Reliance
There are several hilarious moments peppered throughout the feature, especially the scenes where Tommy tries explaining this game to his incredulous family members. But the movie also has a lot of heart, most notably the parts where our protagonist starts spending time with and befriending James, the homeless man he hired as his shadow. It says a lot about Tommy’s relationship with his family when the only person who believes his story is a random stranger.
It’s hard to fault the cast’s performances. Johnson does an excellent job as the protagonist, and Anna Kendrick plays the part of the quirky love interest with refreshing honesty.
Self Reliance is a neat and endearing comedy thriller. At its heart, Johnson’s directorial debut is a story about the need for human connection. Tommy doesn’t agree to play the game for the money but because he’s only safe from the assassins while surrounded by people. There’s beauty in that simple and poignant idea.
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