Self Reliance Review

 

Director: Jake Johnson

Cast: Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Mary Holland, Emily Hampshire, Daryl J. Johnson, Nancy Lenehan, Bjorn Johnson, John Hans Tester, Andy Samberg

Screenplay: Jake Johnson

Running Length: 1:25

MPAA Classification: R (Language)

U.S Release Date: 1-12-24 (streaming - Hulu)

Genre: Comedy/Thriller

        Self Reliance suffers from the same problem that seems to plague a lot of films these days - great premise, so-so execution. The film starts on a high note, but it quickly becomes apparent that director Jake Johnson (making his directorial debut) isn't sure where to take the story and at times it feels as though he's holding back. While I'm sure budget limitations played a part, the film is never as thrilling as it should be. Still, there are some pleasures to be had - chief among them are some nice character-based moments and I'd be lying if I said I didn't laugh-out-loud during some scenes. 

        We're first introduced to Tommy Walcott (Jake Johnson) who's approaching middle-age and has been directionless ever since his longtime girlfriend broke up with him two years ago. Then one day, while walking on the street, a limousine pulls up with Andy Sandberg (playing himself). After inviting him in, Sandberg reveals that a company has hired him to approach Tommy (who they've been monitoring) with an opportunity to take part in a dark web game. For the chance to win one million dollars, Tommy must survive for 30 days while being hunted by hunters attempting to kill him. There is a loophole however, he can only be killed if he's alone. Eventually, he comes across a woman named Maddy (Anna Kendrick) who also happens to be a participant in the game. Together, they team up and stick with each other every minute of the day in order to survive and win the big prize. 

        Trying to balance the comedic and thriller elements with a premise like this can be a tricky thing. Johnson has a good grasp of the former - there are some hilarious scenes (the best of which feature Tommy finding various ways to avoid being alone at all costs), but he stumbles with the latter. We get so few moments of Tommy actually being hunted or chased that it almost feels like an afterthought. It doesn't help that those moments are filmed in such a low-key manner that it never felt like Tommy was in any true danger. They're clumsily handled and never mesh well with the comedic tone of the film. 

        Maybe Johnson would have been better off making a traditional rom-com instead. On top of being funny at times, the relationship that forms between Tommy and Maddy is sweetly developed and adds some unexpected depth during the second-half of the film. Johnson's performance is also an asset. Although he's played similar characters before, he does these types of roles well and makes Tommy likeable despite his flaws. 

        Uneven tone aside, Johnson shows promise as a director and while I wouldn't call Self Reliance an outright success, it's not a total failure either. There's enough here that works that you won't be bored if you're looking to kill a couple of hours. Still, after the movie was over, I couldn't help but wonder what a more seasoned director might have done with this material.