2023, Jake Johnson (feature debut) -- Netflix
Sigh.
Not that heavy of a sigh, as this was alright. And the premise is ... interesting? This is where my lack of commitment to an opinion comes into play. Was the movie worth the effort put into watching it? I guess I will have say "yes" for I did mildly enjoy it. But just mildly shouldn't be enough these days; I should want for at least Good if not Great. That is the reason for the sigh.
Dude, you're spinning out.
Premise. Andy Samburg (actor but also character) pulls up in a limo to proposition Tommy (Jake Johnson, The Mummy), a loser -- the people he represents will give Tommy $1,000,000.00 (Doctor Evil cackle) if he survives 30 days. During those 30 days if he is alone, other players (staff?) of "the game" are permitted to murder him. They cannot attack him if he is in the presence of others. This is all some sort of European (usually these things are Japanese but the really nice Danish guys was a fun twist) dark-web reality show and he is also informed that there will be cameras and observers everywhere so it can all be televised. Its sort of like Jackpot! but more dark comedy than directly comedic.
This is Jake Johnson's directorial debut, movie wise. He also stars.
Its fun, its quirky and on-brand for Johnson, in that the character is entirely spinning out from almost the beginning. Its not as easy for him as he thought it would be, to find someone to always be around. His family doesn't believe him and labels this just another episode in his usual behaviour when he doesn't want to face something -- in this instance, he hasn't gotten over his breakup two (two!!) years ago. Literally the best thing about the movie is his older sister Mary sniggering in the background and goading Tommy every chance she gets.
Most of the movie is vignettes of Tommy being stalked by the other players (again, maybe staff?) and the few people who indulge him, until they cannot handle him any longer. Even the homeless guy (Biff Wiff, Trade Show Show) he pays to follow him around seems somewhat annoyed. Even the girl (Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air) who answers his Craigslist ad, claiming she is also playing the game, eventually tires of him spinning out. And yeah, so did I.
What more would I have wanted? More lunacy, more violence, more zaniness. I mean, if I was watching the game I would have been bored almost immediately. There are hints that the killers sent after Tommy are quirky individuals -- cowboy (Jeff Kober, Sons of Anarchy), giant in a Michael Jackson jacket (Boban Marjanovic, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum) -- but there aren't enough of them. I means, its LA; there should have been more just regular LA weirdoes.
In the end, it was alright but as hinted above, I am not sure I am satisfied with alright right now, and yet, that is what I keep on shoveling into my mouth.
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