Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- darkly comic
- paranoid
- absurdist
- late night comedy
- indie film night
What critics said
Critics found the premise inventive and the performances appealing, especially Anna Kendrick's, but broadly felt the film played its thriller concept too safely and suffered from tonal inconsistency.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tommy's deadly survival challenge is presented as a secret reality-game spectacle, turning competition television into a dark social joke.
Tommy insists that hunters are pursuing him while family members interpret his behavior as irrational, sustaining uncertainty around his claims.
The game's rule that proximity to another person offers protection makes Tommy confront his isolation and dependence on relationships.
Ordinary American life is transformed into a month-long hunt involving anonymous killers, secret organizers, and a million-dollar prize.
Films like Self Reliance, and why
The Game
darkly comic paranoia thriller centered on an ordinary person trapped in an absurd lethal premise
Series 7: The Contenders
satirical reality-game framework, escalating danger, and uneasy comedy about isolation
The Art of Self-Defense
awkward protagonist, absurd social premise, and warm but anxious themes of human connection
Movie Details
- Director
- Jake Johnson
- Release Date
- 2024-01-03
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (337)
Cast
- Jake Johnson
- Anna Kendrick
- Natalie Morales
- Andy Samberg
- Mary Holland
- Emily Hampshire
- Nancy Lenehan
- Daryl J. Johnson
- Miriam Flynn
- Boban Marjanović
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Self Reliance about?
- A lonely man joins a covert deadly game and discovers that surviving its hunters may depend less on strategy than on finding people willing to stand beside him.
- What is Self Reliance like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Self Reliance as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Self Reliance violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Self Reliance as moderate.
- What did critics think of Self Reliance?
- Critics found the premise inventive and the performances appealing, especially Anna Kendrick's, but broadly felt the film played its thriller concept too safely and suffered from tonal inconsistency.
- Which films are like Self Reliance?
- Films with a similar feel include The Game, Series 7: The Contenders, and The Art of Self-Defense.
- How long is Self Reliance?
- Self Reliance runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch Self Reliance?
- In United States, Self Reliance streams on Hulu.
