Self Reliance

This hooked me quick. The Samberg bits made me laugh and while I didn't laugh a ton throughout, this built an intriguing plot based around a man in a game where he's being hunted (and is only safe when he's around people). This lead to some tense moments, and even a couple eerie horror moments. It succeeded as a thriller. But the ending was very unsatisfying and revealed that there really wasn't much more to the mystery. I get it thematically, but the end knocked it down 5 points.

It's never as funny as I want it to be, but it's a welcome odd duck.

A fun but slight comedy with a likable performance by director/writer/star Jake Johnson. The cast is generally well put together and there are some laughs, but it's not destined to become a classic or even something I'll probably remember in a few months. A pretty fun watch, though.

It's... just dumb really. Just, not interesting, doesn't really do anything. Just a big nothing burger.

Fun watch that's been on my watchlist for some time now and am happy to have finally seen it. Good first outing for Johnson as a director. He also has good comedic timing in front of the camera as always. Fun turn from Wiff and Kendrick alike. Solid 6.8. Highly entertaining and some decent feelgood moments as well.

where is my man jake's oscar?

A little gem of a movie - gets away with serous themes without being sappy about them.

Self Reliance is really a high concept mumblecore film dressed up and marketed as a big budget comedy, and overall I really like what's going on here. Jake Johnson is great in the lead role, and he has fantastic chemistry with Anna Kendrick. Biff Wiff sometimes steals the show as James/Walter the drifter. Unfortunately I think it can be a little messy at times. Ultimately though it is a mostly fun and somewhat contemplative movie that makes me excited to see how Jake Johnson grows as a director.

I went into Self Reliance solely based off the cast. The film delivers amusing zaniness with a few darker moments that lend to the mental health theme. The ending is a shade of having-your-cake-and-eating-it, that is a reminder that the film should not be taken seriously which in turn undermines the aforementioned theme. Most of the cast is underutilised, save for Johnson who also does a decent job of writing and directing.

A bold premise with some good laughs. I was engaged throughout, but it does not pull off the ending. You'll think about the movie afterward a lot more than most comedies, but given the ending, the movie is manipulating the viewer in the middle of the film. The ending just does not make a ton of sense, and if this is trying to be a suspense/thriller along with a comedy, it doesn't work.

It has a lot of fun with its silly premise and just delivers exactly what it promises. Johnson and Kendrick are good together, but honestly the better love story is between Johnson and the drifter. Some of Johnson's direction feels weird and unique for the sake of being weird and unique, but it's still a very nice debut.

A solid, funny movie. Alternates well between comedy and suspense. Leaves you wondering how you'd get through a similar challenge.