Given the opportunity to participate in a life or death reality game show, one man discovers there's a lot to live for.Given the opportunity to participate in a life or death reality game show, one man discovers there's a lot to live for.Given the opportunity to participate in a life or death reality game show, one man discovers there's a lot to live for.
John Hans Tester
- Anders
- (as Hans Tester)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Did you know
- TriviaJake Johnson has stated in interviews that the inspiration for the movie's plot were various Japanese game shows with extreme premises that he watched in his youth.
- Quotes
Tommy: So let me get this straight, it's 30 days, right? and you guys are hunting me for my life but you cannot touch me if I am with someone and the hunters might not even ever make it to my city, so there's a chance I spend the entire 30 days and no one even finds me and then I get a million dollars, that's the game?
Magnus: Are you interested?
Tommy: Let's play.
- SoundtracksEvery Step of the Way
Written by Harvey Scales (as Harvey L Scales)
Performed by Harvey Scales and the Seven Sounds
Courtesy of The Numero Group
- How long is Self Reliance?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Самодостатність
- Filming locations
- Highland Park, Los Angeles, California, USA(Tommy is chased by cowboy just before finding limo.)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 1h 25m(85 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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