If You Like ‘The Running Man,’ Check Out This Underrated Anna Kendrick and Jake Johnson Comedy With a Similar Premise

Edgar Wright’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man may be struggling at the box office, despite having one of the highest openings for a King-inspired feature and receiving mixed reviews, but no one can deny that the premise is thoroughly entertaining. The idea of a dystopian society hosting a game show where someone must survive 30 days while being hunted and be rewarded with riches beyond their imagination is not new, with The Hunger Games and Jason Statham’s Death Race exploring similar concepts. However, for a more personal and grounded version of this, look no further than Self Reliance. Set in the real world, this 2023 comedy explores a game show hosted on the dark web. The story delves into the reasons someone might join such a game and examines how participation might lead to personal growth and transformation. With fantastic performances from the lead actors, Jake Johnson and Anna Kendrick, Self Reliance is not only hilarious but also deeply tragic and poignant, making it the perfect film to watch after The Running Man. What is ‘Self Reliance’ About? Self Reliance follows Jake Johnson’s Tommy, a recluse who goes through the same monotonous cycle every day of going to work, having a drink at the bar, and coming home. The unique rule, that he can only be killed by the hunters if he is alone, sparks an idea in his head. This game show could, in fact, be the cure to his loneliness. At first, it seems like the choice only a madman would make, but after seeing just how lackluster Tommy’s life is, the viewer empathizes with his decision, especially given how easy the game appears to be for him at first. Most people, including Tommy’s family, don’t believe him because there are no signs of hunters or cameras anywhere. Driven to desperation, Tommy resorts to extreme measures to find a companion, like hiring a homeless man or teaming up with another participant. In fact, despite violent encounters with said hunters and sightings of the “ninja” production assistants, even the audience begins to question whether the game show is real. Jake Johnson and Anna Kendrick Carry ‘Self Reliance’ For those who know Johnson from his iconic role in New Girl, there will be a familiarity with his character in Self Reliance. His character is similarly sarcastic and slightly manic, laughing with a wide-eyed expression when his family tries to tell him the game isn’t real. However, Johnson also plays Tommy quieter than he does for his character in New Girl and many other roles. Tommy carries a depressed lack of energy that makes it clear how he is suffering, and even his moments of happiness seem to be escapes rather than the norm. This makes him the perfect pairing for Anna Kendrick’s Maddy, supposedly another contestant in the game with whom Tommy partners up. Kendrick brings similar sarcasm to the role, yet also with a bubblier nature than Tommy, providing a nice contrast between the two. Their lines of dialogue, telling each other that they are going nowhere, are objectively about their team-up, but read as two lovers declaring their bond, which feels like the closest these two will come to a truly romantic declaration. ‘Self Reliance’ Examines How Someone Can Help Themselves and Those Around Them While The Running Man takes a broader look at society and its injustices, Self Reliance focuses more on personal transformation through a character-driven narrative. Tommy’s journey inadvertently improves the lives of those around him, including James (Biff Wiff), a homeless man whom Tommy hires as a companion. Tommy and Maddy also learn to solve their issues with loneliness and boredom, not necessarily through the game, but through the drive for connection that the game necessitates. In doing so, despite the ridiculousness of much of Self Reliance, the film constantly feels poignant and keeps you engaged with the emotional journeys these characters undertake. With a Netflix release, Self Reliance feels like a movie that got lost in the streaming model, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy of a late-night watch. In the end, you begin to care less and less about whether the game is real or not, and more about how it is helping the characters involved. Self Reliance is available to stream on Hulu in the U. S.
https://collider.com/self-reliance-anna-kendrick-jake-johnson-running-man/

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