The Hulu film Self Reliance, directed and starring Jake Johnson, is a movie that will likely spark debates. Why? Because the film’s ending leaves room for interpretation. The ambiguity surrounding the conclusion allows viewers to form their own conclusions about the nature of the game Tommy is part of. Johnson’s approach to crafting the film ensures that both possibilities—whether the game is real or a figment of Tommy’s imagination—make sense.
Self Reliance Ending Explained
Self Reliance centers on Tommy Walcott, played by Jake Johnson, a middle-aged man who is struggling with various personal issues. Tommy’s life is in disarray. He still lives with his mother, and he’s recently been dumped by his long-term girlfriend. Tommy, unable to move past these difficulties, finds himself standing outside his ex-girlfriend’s door, unable to summon the courage to confront her. His life takes a strange turn when comedian Andy Samberg offers him an opportunity to participate in a dark web game show.
Samberg’s character explains that Tommy has been selected for a twisted game where he will be hunted by professional assassins for 30 days. The only way Tommy can win the game—and the grand prize of $1 million—is by surviving the full 30 days. The rules of the game seem strange, and there’s a lot of uncertainty about whether the game is real or a fantasy. Tommy, eager to escape his mundane life, agrees to take part in the game, even though he is uncertain about its authenticity.
The Game and Tommy’s Journey
Tommy meets the game’s mysterious organizers, two men with thick accents, who explain the rules. The primary rule: Tommy will be hunted by assassins all over the world. However, there is a loophole: the assassins will only target Tommy when he is alone. This detail leads Tommy to believe that if he stays around people at all times, he can avoid being killed.
Tommy shares the bizarre experience with his family, but they dismiss him as delusional, believing it’s just another one of his outlandish fantasies. His past is full of wild stories, such as claiming that his father had left to become a samurai, or once telling classmates he was moving to Japan. As a result, his family’s reaction to his dark web game story is one of skepticism.
Determined to find others who are playing the game, Tommy posts an ad on Craigslist. He believes he has discovered hidden cameras in his house, and his paranoia intensifies. Eventually, he begins following a homeless man, James, paying him to shadow him in an attempt to stay safe. However, things spiral out of control when James is absent one night, leaving Tommy vulnerable to an attack by a mysterious figure dressed as Michael Jackson from the “Beat It” video.
Tommy soon meets Maddy, played by Anna Kendrick, who claims to be participating in the same game. They decide to team up, spending every waking moment together to ensure their survival. As they grow closer, Tommy finds the courage to confront his ex-girlfriend, receiving the closure he had been seeking. The movie takes a bizarre turn when Tommy is approached by a ninja-like production assistant from the game, who warns him not to trust Maddy.
Confusion and Doubts About Reality
The story continues to unfold with more strange encounters. Another contestant reveals that the game is called Delusions of Grandeur and is actually a comedy designed to mock people struggling with self-doubt. This information unsettles Tommy, especially when Maddy tells him she never believed the game was real. She thought it was an elaborate role-play. It becomes clear that Tommy’s perception of reality is increasingly fragile.
Tommy’s family, worried about his mental health, hires a professional to stage an intervention. However, Tommy, refusing to accept their judgment, escapes with James (whose real name is Walter). This revelation adds a layer of complexity to Tommy’s understanding of his life. He admits that his mind often fabricates scenarios that feel real, blurring the line between his imagination and reality.
The Final Stretch: The Game’s Truth Revealed?
The ending of Self Reliance leaves everything up for interpretation. Tommy finds himself at a homeless encampment, where he is visited by the ninja PA again. The PA urges Tommy to leave the area and find a limo, which will take him to the game’s finale. Along his journey, Tommy has an unsettling conversation with a man in a cowboy hat, who suggests that the game has been specially tailored for Tommy. It’s filled with references to his past and interests, such as Michael Jackson, westerns, and video games, making it feel like it’s all about him.
Eventually, Tommy finds the limo, where he is greeted once again by Andy Samberg. Samberg gives Tommy the option to go home safely, but Tommy chooses to see the game through to its conclusion. At the grand finale, Tommy outruns various figures, such as a sumo wrestler, Sinbad, and even a samurai—characters that have appeared in earlier parts of the film. When Tommy is welcomed by a crowd, who congratulate him on surviving and winning the game, it all seems too good to be true.
Tommy is awarded his $1 million, but the twist comes when the prize is revealed to be in Danish krone, the currency of Greenland. This further complicates the truth about Tommy’s victory. When Tommy returns home, his family still doesn’t fully believe his story, even though he insists that everything is real. The presence of Wayne Brady, who appears in the final scene, raises more questions. Is Tommy’s entire story true, or is it another of his delusions?
The movie ends with Tommy, accompanied by Walter, going to knock on Maddy’s door. He decides to confront her alone, indicating some sense of self-reliance after his strange journey. As Tommy stands there, ready to face whatever happens next, the movie concludes. The final moments leave the audience questioning whether Tommy has truly overcome his struggles or if the entire journey was merely another elaborate fantasy.
Jake Johnson’s Take on the Ending: Is the Game Real?
Jake Johnson, who not only directed the film but also starred in it, shared his thoughts on the ambiguous ending. According to Johnson, the game in Self Reliance is real. In an interview, he confirmed that the game show exists within the film’s world, and Tommy’s experiences were not merely a product of his imagination. However, Johnson also acknowledged that the film’s ambiguity allows viewers to interpret the story in different ways.
For Johnson, the ending was designed to allow both possibilities—the game being real or Tommy’s delusion—to work equally well. Johnson’s approach gives audiences the freedom to decide for themselves what they believe. He also mentioned that test audiences had difficulty with the film’s initial, more ambiguous endings, leading to the inclusion of Wayne Brady’s cameo, which was added to provide a more conclusive ending.
Johnson expressed that, while the ending is important, it’s ultimately the journey that matters most. However, he acknowledged that for many viewers, the final moments of a film are crucial in shaping their understanding of the story. The push to provide a clearer resolution was a collaborative effort, particularly from producer Andy Samberg, who insisted on a more definitive ending.
Self Reliance is a film that thrives on its ambiguity. The ending leaves room for personal interpretation, with the game either being a bizarre reality show or a manifestation of Tommy’s fragile state of mind. The journey is as important as the destination, and it’s up to the audience to decide what to believe. With its surreal premise and unique storytelling, Self Reliance invites viewers to question the boundaries between reality and delusion, making for a thought-provoking experience.
