Self Reliance

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)

It's a cool movie if you don't have anything else to watch. I liked it. It's sort of funny, and it makes you a bit anxious. The game could've been a bit more challenging though.

(***MINOR SPOILER***)

The movie could have been more of a thriller if the game was challenging and Tommy's life was constantly in danger. If paying a homeless guy to be with you all the time saves you from being killed, I don't see the thrill of it.

I read a comment saying it's not as funny, and I have to agree. You'll see people acting goofy every now and then and a bit of humor in some scenes, but just as it could be more thrilling, it could also be more comedic.

I had some trepidations about this movie, but the premise of this quirky story made me curious AND I like the actor Jake Johnson, so my hopes were high, BUT...

The bad: the story ended up being completely silly and void of ANY originality. Just lame. Not credible. Let alone be anything near suspenseful or mysterious.

Well perhaps the acting was any good? NOPE. The jokes? NOPE. Let me think if there is anything left that might be positive to say. I am sorry, I am lost for words...

I love Jake Johnson as the actor, but he directed (debut) AND wrote AND produced this movie, while he had no earlier experience in directing at all and he basically made a uneventful tedious flop.

Self Reliance is a fun debut directing gig from Jake Johnson. Johnson takes an interesting premise and brings some good moments to it although not quite sticking the landing.

The movie could have went in a more intriguing direction by giving it more of a horror vibe when the attacks happen. You never get the sense Johnson is in any real danger.

The real heart of the movie is between Johnson and Anna Kendrick who's easy chemistry together makes the movie. The stuff featuring Kendrick are the movies standout scenes.

There are some nice cameos from Andy Samberg & Christopher Lloyd. Ultimately it is Jake Johnson's charm that carries the movie but this still feels like a missed opportunity. Recommendable.

I enjoyed watching this movie. The premise of the main plot was very intriguing and I enjoyed watching it develop. The cast was exceptional and conveyed their emotions in a very real way. Jake Johnson - the protagonist and creator of the film - is hilarious and obviously Andy Samberg is as well. Anna Kendrick, unsurprisingly, played her character practically flawlessly. The same is true for basically all of the other actors involved. My main critique concerns the structure of the movie. I feel the movie was cut a bit too short. The introduction could have been stretched out a bit more and the ending could have been more thoroughly explored. I liked how the reality of the situation was left a bit open to interpretation, but it did result in an uneasy and perhaps unsettling ending, in my opinion. I think I - like other viewers possibly - was expecting some sort of "plot twist" or major reveal. It felt a bit empty without a significant climax moment. Overall, I enjoyed the movie. I laughed and found myself at the end of my seat throughout the entirety of the film. It was mainly the ending that left me feeling as if something was missing.

I recommend this movie to anyone who might enjoy a mild thriller with comedic aspects. It was a nice watch, just a bit odd. Decently thought-provoking as well, which I appreciated.