Hypothetical Netflix Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
I first heard about this movie when it was making the festival rounds. I wanted to see it right then and there, but it dawned on me that I would have to wait till summer when it would get a theatrical release. Luckily, Netflix bought the rights and this film was brought into my life that much sooner for the fact. So…thanks man.
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (which is a mouthful of a title, I know, but totally worth talking about.) tells the story of Ruth, played by Melanie Lynskey, whose house is broken into. Feed up with a world full of “assholes and dildos,” her words not mine, she takes justice into her own hands after the police tell her that there are more important crimes to stop beyond a missing laptop and some silverware. On her crusade, Ruth enlists the aid of Tony, played by Elijah Wood with a rat tail. Together, the two track down the asshole who broke into her house.
What really drew me to this movie was the social commentary it provides. Though at times heavy fisted, for the most part it comes off as funny. “What is the commentary?” you might ask. The message is that we’re all assholes, focused only on the small, personal world we build for ourselves. It brings into question, what makes a person good or bad, what is the point of morality when death is sudden and unjudging, and how deadly is a throwing star really. Seriously, rat tail Elijah Wood has throwing stars, and he’s not afraid to use them.
This film the first directorial effort from Macon Blair, who is best known for his acting chops (if you haven’t seen him in Blue Ruin yet, do yourself the solid). Blair, who also wrote the film, has a wonderfully grounded sense of reality that plays well when outlandish things happen, making them that much more believable. On top of that, his sense of humor fits the tone perfectly.
As I was watching this film, I couldn’t help but pick out people I recognized from other things: Gary Anthony Williams (who’s lost a bunch of weight since Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) and Jane Levy (who has grown her hand back since chainsawing it off in the Evil Dead remake) managed to add depth to their roles as side characters which really gave the film a sense of reality.
I really can’t say enough good things about I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore.
Just go watch it already. It’s on Netflix.
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