“Self Reliance” dropped Saturday on Hulu, and it might be one of the best indie-style movies I’ve seen since the 2000s.
You’re walking down the street one day and actor Andy Samberg pulls up next to you. He offers you a ride to a weird warehouse where two ugly Europeans tell you you’re a contestant on a dark web reality. Other contestants on the show will hunt you for 30 days, and if you survive, you get $1 million. Would you do it?
Well, Tommy (Jake Johnson) said yes, and thus began the weirdest movie I’ve seen in a long, long while. And I loved it.
The first 30 minutes or so were awkward. It almost felt like the music editor was as awkward as possible to give you a sense of unease. But as the story really takes off, you can’t help but be captivated by Tommy’s journey of survival. (RELATED: ‘Barbie’ Is An Involuntary Acid Trip That Worked For The Most Bizarre Reasons: REVIEW)
Not only is “Self Reliance” funny as heck in all the best ways, but it’s moving. It’s a sharply focused look on how individual mental health is being utterly destroyed in the Western world; how our families are often the main culprits in destroying our sense of purpose, or even sanity.
Yet, even in its darkest moments, where you think all hope is lost, you’re left with a profound sense of self-reflection … and the need for self-reliance, once the credits roll. My main note for future viewers of this film: push through the scary; the ending makes the entire thing worth it.