Self Reliance, 2024.
Written and Directed by Jake Johnson.
Starring Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Natalie Morales, Mary Holland, Emily Hampshire, Nancy Lenehan, Christopher Lloyd, Wayne Brady, Andy Samberg, GaTa, Boban Marjanović, Biff Wiff, Makini Manu, Gloria Sandoval, Steven Littles, Tamra Brown, Bjorn Johnson, John Hans Tester, and Sky Elobar.
SYNOPSIS:
Given the opportunity to participate in a life-or-death reality game show, one man discovers there’s a lot to live for.
As far as plot setups go, a limousine carrying Andy Samberg (as himself) in the backseat soliciting random people to get in the backseat while the beloved comedian pitches a dark web reality game where assassins will hunt a player for 30 days who is trying to survive to earn $1 million, writer/director Jake Johnson’s directorial debut Self Reliance is goofy and inspired.
That’s not to say this is the most refreshing concept out there, but one executed in such a manner to take advantage of Jake Johnson’s comedic sensibilities, especially with him also in the lead role as Tommy, a lonely man fresh out of a 20-something year relationship, working an unfulfilling desk job, and stuck in a rut of a mundane routine while also living with his mom (Nancy Lenehan.)
There is also a critical rule to this dangerous game that makes the challenge not only seem doable but could help solve some of Tommy’s loneliness; the assassins are prohibited from killing any of the contestants if they are in the same room or area as a bystander. Naturally, this causes Tommy to put together a family meeting where he explains this crazy situation, where, unsurprisingly, everyone thinks he is nuts and doesn’t want to bother with sticking by his side.
However, that doesn’t stop him from trying and inserting himself into the lives of his family, most notably in a hilarious segment that finds him rooming with one of his sister’s significant others (Daryl J. Johnson), livid that he doesn’t bring him with to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Nevertheless, it becomes clear that relying on family here isn’t going to do the trick, so Tommy befriends a homeless man named James (a winningly funny Biff Wiff) to shadow him. Then, another player named Maddy (Anna Kendrick) responds to his Craigslist advertisement with the two joining up to try and survive as a unit. The jokes mostly land thanks to some witty dialogue and absurd situations, but across the 30 days, this also becomes an opportunity for Tommy to try making amends with his longtime ex-partner (Natalie Morales) while also filling in the loneliness gaps in his life.
Therein also lies the one major problem with Self Reliance, in that, at a certain point, the film drifts along throughout these dramatic beats without ever fully taking advantage of the zany antics that could be pulled off within the game itself. There is never any sense of real danger. Run-ins with the assassins are few and far between. Again, this would be fine, especially since the first 30-40 are an absolute laugh riot, but the film simply loses momentum even if it never craters and still typically has something intriguing going on with the characters.
There is also an unnecessary and somewhat cheap attempt to mine some drama by throwing out the idea that maybe Tommy has lost his marbles and is imagining the meeting with Andy Samberg and the entire game as a side effect of loneliness.
As a performer, Jake Johnson is in full control of the offbeat tone he wants to convey with his likable and funny ensemble. It is the script that leaves something to be desired and further flushed out. It becomes clear early on what ideas Self Reliance wants to explore with this game but struggles to do so beyond the surface. That doesn’t stop Jake Johnson from trying to find something there, but he also loses the film’s charm and humor along the way, even if this is still a bizarre journey worth checking out.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
 
