Self Reliance
Self Reliance , Jake Johnson ’s directorial debut , is everything one might expect from the comedic actor . The film is genuinely funny , occasionally weird ( in the good way ) , and just a shade unsettling . Johnson , who also write and starred in the film , mines the mile - a - arcminute comedy for all it ’s worth . There is almost never a dull minute . And whileSelf Reliancefails to in full return in its final act , for the most part due to a tonic shift and a nidus on activity , it endure up to every anticipation as a Johnson production , one that is elevated by an first-class supporting cast of characters that is happy to go with the flow .
Tommy ( Johnson , considerably known for hisrole inNew Girl ) has been feel down and adrift ever since his girlfriend ( Natalie Morales ) of many years break up with him two years ago . Now living with his mammy and jobless , Tommy refuses to move fore with his life sentence , stuck in the same day-after-day routine . When he is approached by Andy Samberg in a limo , Tommy decide to take a risk and ride with him to a remote location . Samberg devolve him off at a warehouse and drive off . Upon entry , Tommy is declare oneself to take part in a dark web realness show where he will be trace for 30 days by assassin from around the world . The only way to endure is to wield a near law of proximity to someone else or danger being murdered . Tommy adjudicate he has nothing to lose and agree to do it , eventually hiring James ( Biff Wiff ) , a homeless human being to shadow him , and joining Maddy ( Anna Kendrick ) , who exact she is a part of the same show .
Self Relianceis unafraid to be silly and completely ridiculous . The fact that Tommy has become so strung-out on others in his personal life and refuses to move forward allows the audience , like his household , to doubt whether he ’s in reality being followed by assassinator . The film ’s premise is so out of left field that it ’s easy to just go along for the drive , no matter where that leads . And what a ride it is ! Tommy fuck up his way through make it the dark web ’s reality show , and Johnson ’s penchant for comedic lallation play into his character ’s scenario seamlessly .
The film suggest that a wake - up call is incisively what is needed for Tommy to move forward and out of his comfort geographical zone . WhenSelf Relianceuses the grave biz to develop Tommy and institute him to some important realizations , it soars . Its funniness , which is often random and witty , is also one of the film ’s strongest aspect . Johnson , along with the rest of the mold , is hilarious . The worker - sprain - theater director has a certain make of humor — dry , acerbic , inapt — that act upon on every layer , and Johnson utilizes it well in the film , deal the consultation on a bizarre comedic journeying they wo n’t presently forget .
It ’s whenSelf Relianceleans into the action - thriller portion in its third bit that the cinema mislay much of its steam . To be sure , the apparatus at long last head there , but it ’s not as thrilling as it take aim to be , and its tonal shift does n’t serve matters much . It leaves the interview marvel where the comedy went as it wobble towards an termination that direct to wrap things up in a nice bow , but does n’t wad enough slug to do so . To that end , Johnson drive on too much by the picture show ’s oddment , losing a big chunk of what make the moving-picture show so watchable to set out with .
All that say , Self Relianceis a stout entry from the thespian . He assemble a fantastic mold to execute the report , and Johnson and Anna Kendrick are superb together . Kendrick ’s fictional character is a bit less loopy than Johnson ’s , but the actress lean into the absurdness of the premise , and it helps that she and Johnson have first-class interpersonal chemistry . The stand mould , whose reaction to Tommy are consistently screaming , is spectacular as well . Johnson ’s rapport with — is a high spot , simultaneously uplifting and entertaining . ego Reliancedoesn’t take itself too seriously , and it ’s exactly the kind of directorial debut one would bear from Johnson — and he certainly delivers a savage , up-and-coming , funny story that still play despite a lukewarm ending .
Self Reliancehad its premiere at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival on March 11 . The film is 85 arcminute foresightful and not yet rated .
Jake Johnson writes , directs , and star in Self Reliance , a comedy moving picture that centers around Tommy , a man render a fortune to participate in an improper gameshow . When Tommy is given a chance to win one million dollars , it sound like a aspiration come true - except that the game involves hunters prove to pop him . Tommy come across a loophole in this search game ; however , he can only be attacked when alone . He has one problem - no one believes the plot is real .
