**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Congrats…you’ve been selected…”

Self Reliance premiered on Hulu on January 12th 2024. The comedy-thriller film stars Jake Johnson (he also wrote and directed the film), Anna Kendrick, Natalie Morales, and Andy Samberg. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

Tommy receives a mysterious invitation to participate in a game where he is hunted for thirty days. If he survives, he wins a million dollars, but his friends and family think that it’s all in his head, making him question his own sanity along the way as he tries to come up with loopholes to stay alive.

Here is the trailer:

Self Reliance features a quirky and fun performance by Jake Johnson, who lights up the screen with the always delightful Anna Kendrick by his side. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

An entertaining premise.

Think the comedic version of The Game and that’s kind of what you get with Self Reliance. The concept behind this film is pure genius and I think that it executed everything really well for the most part. As long as you recognize that this is more of a comedy than a thriller, you’ll enjoy your watch.

The opening was really strong and I was just as curious as Jake Johnson’s character, which motivated me to see this one through until the end.

The chemistry between Johnson and Kendrick is the best part of the film.

I thought I was all in for this killer game and yet I was more intrigued by the bond forming between Johnson and Kendrick’s characters. If you enjoy Jake Johnson’s dry humor, you’ll get plenty of that here since he also wrote and directed the film. Once Anna Kendrick joined the mix, things got a lot more entertaining and I thought they were magic together on screen.

I almost wish we got even more screen time for them together.

The Cons:

Needed some more thrills…

Since this was billed as a thriller, I expected a little bit more in this department. I still enjoyed my watch overall, but I think it would have been more enjoyable to see Jake Johnson’s character in real danger more often. The times that this did happen were kind of watered down and they lacked the suspenseful edge I was hoping for.

I also had mixed thoughts on the ending. I didn’t need anything that complicated, but  I would have welcomed a clever twist to really throw the audience for a loop…

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Self reliance is offbeat, quirky, and a lot of fun.

This film wasn’t perfect, but it was unique and the performances by Johnson and Kendrick made it worth the watch.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Self Reliance in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now! I hope you enjoy!

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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