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Self Reliance has the kind of premise that can carry a movie on its own. It's so intriguing and had me hooked immediately. And it's taken in a bunch of cool directions.

At one point, I thought of an easy way to win the game. I expected the movie to ignore it for other strategies that aren't as smart or effective. To my surprise, the movie does exactly what I was thinking. And they find a subsequent reason for it to not end the game.

Jake Johnson gives a good performance. The only reason I didn't like this more is the lack of laughs. One of the genres listed is comedy but I laughed only a few times. It's more amusing than funny. That's the only thing holding it back from being something great that I continue to revisit. But it's still a solid and enjoyable one-time viewing.

(1 viewing, 1/12/2024)

Imagine you're alone and a chance is then presented, to make a million bucks just for 30 days tormented, there's a caveat or two, on occasion you'll be blue, quite often feel frustrated, and abandoned, discontented. On your journey you'll encounter those who may become your friends, as well as those quite keen to bring existence to an end, there'll be those living in shadows, impersonators in costumed clothes, but as the film continues, you will question, what's been penned. As like me you may sit static without laughing or a smirk, as the humour is quite lacking and poor Tommy is a berk, although you may feel sympathetic, to his plight that's quite prophetic, alas the value it delivers, is most likely to just irk.

This movie had a lot of premise, great actors, great idea and actually decent execution. The problem is that while 30% of the first part of the movie will hook you, the last 70% will bore you so much you might even get up and walk out of the sofa. I understand that that was both directed and written by Jake Johnson, but if he had more input from another writer, this could have become a cult classic. Instead we're left with something that feels unfinished, lost, confused and plain frankly, not a comedy and more of a "thriller". If they had more ideas to the story, more characters and more drama, this could have been a golden nugget.

Why surprising? Well, I have seen some of Johnson work before and whilst I find him a talented comic actor, I also find that most of his movies have a good central idea, like this one, but then drift away as time goes on.

This one, kind of does that that, but it builds up so much good will, in the viewer, during its runtime that it really doesn't really matter.

There are many smart cameos from Andy Samberg and Christopher Lloyd and Anna Kendrick.

The best thing about this is the central idea which reminded me a little of It Follows, the horror movie from a few years ago, this is like a comedy version of that.

Well worth a watch.

2.5 out of 5 stars.

Self-Reliance is a pretty bad comedy thriller film that has a promising concept about a guy getting picked for a reality dark web show. Where he has to survive 30 days from the hunters to win money. And a flaw that the hunters cant attack when they are nearby people.

Plot was okay. Jake Johnson did good and was funny with the role. The humor and script does not last throughout the film. Humor can barely last so long in the film which falls flat by the time it reaches the third act. The direction and script falls tedious in the end. Anna Kendrick was also okay for a small portion of the film. Which the movie fails to let us know what happens to her in the end.

Overall, it is a comedy film that has a few laughs while falling flat in the end.