Jack Johnson became well known after his acting role in “New Girl.” However, his career did not revolve just around acting. After his education in screenwriting, he also played around with the formats of sketch comedy & scriptwriting. He recently became popular as one of the Spider-Men in the “Spider-Verse” saga. However, he seamlessly fits in the style of mumblecore films like “Safety Not Guaranteed” & “Drinking Buddies.” His feature directorial debut – “Self Reliance,” seems to come from a similar background. However, this time, the stakes are presented to be relatively higher. Written, directed, & starring Jake, this comedy thriller is now available to watch on Hulu. Spoilers ahead.
Self Reliance (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
What is ‘Self Reliance’ about?
“Self Reliance,” streaming on Hulu, shows an ordinary man suddenly getting caught up in a strange situation. We meet Tommy (Jake Johnson) – a corporate employee stuck in an uneventful corporate job that gives him no satisfaction. He looks distraught, desperately seeking something that will make his life worthwhile. On top of that, he recently broke up with his girlfriend of 23 years, which adds to his misery. Suddenly, he receives an exciting opportunity to win $1 million, and he decides to take it. However, sooner or later, he realizes that it is a double-edged sword since it leads him deeper into a terrifying nightmare.
What happens in Jake Johnson’s ‘Self Reliance’?
Tommy spends his day at his office and walks back home. On his way, he suddenly feels the urge to go knock on his ex Theresa’s (Natalie Morales) house. But he stops himself from this desperate gesture. Rather, he walks away to be self-reliant. On his way, a car passes by. Suddenly, actor-comedian Andy Samberg looks out of the car and calls Tommy. Tommy cannot believe that this is real. He mentions that he is Andy’s big fan. Andy invites Tommy inside the car for some mysterious reason. Tommy decides to tag along even if he doesn’t know where they are going.
What game is Tommy asked to play in ‘Self Reliance’?
Eventually, Andy drops Tommy at some random spot and ends his journey. He cannot believe that Tommy bought into this scheme. Despite Andy’s apprehension, Tommy walks inside a ramshackle spot to meet two men. They offer him an interesting opportunity – to win $1 million by playing a game where he must outsmart some people who will try to kill him. These ‘ninja’ hunters can only attack him when he is by himself. So, he must be in someone’s company to stay alive. If he manages to make it till the end of the month, he will win the grand prize.
At first, Tommy cannot make heads and tails of this bonkers proposal. But the two men convince him enough to make him accept it. Right after, he goes up to his family and talks about this offer. Instead of being worried, they make fun of him. Unlike him, they do not believe that the game is real. Tommy tries hard to convince them otherwise. But it does not work. His mom thinks he is making everything up because he is lonely. She believes he is trying to avoid being alone because Theresa broke up with him and now has a baby. But it does not make Tommy doubt the rules of the game. He rather doubles down on his faith in them.
When do the hunters start attacking Tommy?
Despite the 30-day game, Tommy continues going to work and follows his usual routine. Almost a week passes by, but no one attacks him. So, he starts feeling invincible. Then, one night, he finds a tiny-tiny camera outside his door. He immediately calls his mother to update her about this ‘ninja camera.’ She finds his comments quite silly. She refuses to leave her work to offer him company. So, he takes help from his sister’s husband – Malcolm (Daryl J. Johnson). He convinces Malcolm to sleep in the same bed as him.
At midnight, Tom notices a ninja walking outside the house. While trying to outplay the stranger, he breaks open the toilet door while Malcolm is on the seat. Malcolm finds it humiliating. So, to convince him of the ninja’s presence, Tom grabs him up from the seat. Unlike before, they do not see anyone outside. So, Malcolm kicks him out of the house. Right then, Tom notices an unhoused man picking things from a trashcan. Tom walks up to unhoused Joe (Lawrence Whitener) and makes an offer to give him company in exchange for some daily cash. Joe accepts it.
Who is Maddy, and how does she meet Tommy?
Even though his family doesn’t believe in him, Tommy continues playing by the rules of the game. He keeps Joe always in his company to ensure no ninja attacks him. But, when Joe steps away just for a few moments, a man attacks him. Luckily, Tom rescues himself. Around that time, Maddy (Anna Kendrick) reads Tom’s cryptic Craigslist ad and calls him. She tells him that she is also playing this game and would like to meet him. Eventually, they come up with a plan to benefit both – they should stay together and offer each other company.
Shortly after, they become friends and start talking about their lives. Tom talks about his recent breakup. She tells him to deal with his feelings sooner than later. So, soon after, he shows up outside Theresa’s door and tries to talk out their differences. She finally opens up about how bored she was in their relationship and how unexciting it was for her. Even though Tom found no issue in the routine, she could not bear it any longer. Suddenly, in the middle of their conversation, Maddy comes to defend Tom. She backs off, and the whole interaction ends right after.
What happens between Tommy & Maddy?
After Tommy becomes open about his feelings, he starts getting closer to Maddy. They start sleeping in the same bed while putting cushions in between. One night, a P.A. from their set wakes up in the night. Suddenly, a flurry of crew members comes out of the dark. The P.A. tells Tom that they are his big fans. This strange incident makes Tommy even more scared for his life. So, he decides to leave with Maddy immediately and stay at a motel. Even then, someone walks up to their room. Tom believes the stranger is one of the ninjas. But the man happens to be someone from the motel management.
Anyhow, in the following days, Tommy & Maddy grow fond of each other. They start living almost as if they are in a relationship. However, the love simmers down the moment Tommy learns about another game player. Although Maddy does not want to meet this stranger, Tommy hopes to help another person the way they helped each other. They meet the man (Gata) to learn that the showrunners are playing a sick game with their lives. Unlike what they thought, they are treated just as props for humor. It gives Maddy a reality check. Suddenly, she decides to step away from their companionship and asks for some space. So, she and Jake go to live separately.
Self Reliance (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Do Tommy & Maddy get back together?
After his separation from Maddy, Tommy returns to his mother’s home and starts living with his family. One night, a P.A. wakes him and orders him to go outside toward a car. He walks in to meet his estranged dad after years of distance. Because of all that he is going through, he cannot deal with more stress. Tom mentions how badly he wanted this moment of confrontation, but not then. At the time, he only wants to be with Maddy and to ensure that she is safe. He reaches her house, hoping they will get back together.
Maddy sees the love in Tom’s eyes and cannot lie to him anymore. That’s when she reveals – she was never part of the game. She saw his online ad and wanted something to be in a relationship with. Before they met, she was as lonely as he was. It hurts him, and he leaves immediately. Suddenly, an Ellen DeGeneres lookalike tells him to get in the car. When he rejects her, she punches him & breaks his front teeth. Back home, his family tries to perform an intervention. They worry that his loneliness has made him believe in all sorts of delusions. Still, they cannot convince him that the game is not real. He walks out of the house & spends the night with unhoused people. Then eventually, the P.A. wakes him up and tells him to get inside a car.
Does Tommy win the game in Self Reliance?
Tommy continues to fear the uncertainty of his present life. So, he tries to stay as far as he can from the ninjas while seeking company from strangers. One thing leads to another, and once again, he gets back in a car with Andy Samberg. Andy gives him a chance to stop the madness, but Tommy refuses to quit. So, Andy has no other option but to leave Tom in the same spot he was left before. This time, a sumo wrestler follows Tom beside a samurai. Tom outwits them both to find himself in an empty room. At that moment, he decides to take out his frustration. He accepts that the game has made him much stronger than before.
Suddenly, the room gets filled with lights. The two masterminds behind the game walk out with a bunch of other people. They declare Tom won the game and offer him a prize in some foreign currency. Back home, he tells his family about it. They still do not believe that the game is real – considering how the prize money will be dispersed in installments for over a decade. Still, they put on a supportive front & appreciate the fact that he has gained his mojo. Tommy walks out of the house like a reformed person & reaches Maddy’s house. Right when he knocks on the door, the film ends. So, Tommy & Maddy might get back together. But it is left open for interpretation.
Was the game in Tommy’s life real?
The game seems to be a fictional narrative Tommy made because of his loneliness. Throughout the film, we see multiple incidents that show him trying to seek his unfulfilled wishes. Be it a meeting with his father or finding a new romantic partner, the journey is essentially about him getting out of his rut and not being lonely & miserable. It is Tommy’s constructed reality to resolve the emotional issues in his life.
Self Reliance (2024) Movie Review:
For many reasons, “Self Reliance” reminded me of Clair Titley’s documentary – “The Contestant.” It also showed the general fascination with a torture drama that is used to derive pleasure. Like Nasubi, we see Jake’s character being used as a mere player in a game for amusement. However, the film is more about the subtext that tries to touch upon the topics of loneliness & mental health.
Although “Self Reliance” is fairly engaging, it feels like an uneven take on “The Truman Show.” Like Jim Carrey’s Truman, Tommy gets caught up in a reality where he is the center of the universe. Of course, the context is different, and “Self Reliance” is not remotely a critique of consumerism. But the film capitalizes on a similar plot device and tries to tie the knots.
Suffice it to say, “Self Reliance” isn’t perfect in its writing & execution. It falls short while building the suspense – which makes the result quite predictable from very early in the film. As a drama, it occasionally impacts – when it works with some tender moments. In those cases, it benefits from having impressive performers like Natalia Morales & Anna Kendrick. The comic moments work pretty well, again, due to the same reason. Besides Kendrick, the cast also has Emily Hampshire & Mary Holland. So, even the moderately funny moments work better. Unfortunately, that isn’t enough to make the film remotely memorable or stand out from a similar bunch of ‘inventive’ dramas.
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