Sundance comedy 'I Don't Feel at Home in this World Anymore' doesn't let the a-holes win
In his directorial debut, Macon Blair cooks up a world full of assholes. Ruth, a rehab nurse, lives quietly among them in I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore -- until a home break-in pushes her over the edge.
And Melanie Lynskey (Togetherness) shines equally as lonely Ruth and the full-charging vigilante she becomes as she hunts down her thief. Her performance will have you rooting for the good-girl-gone-bad, and by the time this comedy takes a turn for the dark side, you're ready for the ride.
She clocks an old antique salesman in the face, and you are still on her side. The ride can get real wacky, but that's part of the charm.
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"I wanted to do a crime movie but didn't want it to be a bummer crime movie," Blair, known on the indie scene for his role in Blue Ruin, said during a Q&A at a Sundance Film Festival screening.
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The movie can veer into bummer territory as it shows a mirror to our worst selves, but the relationship that blossoms between Ruth and her neighbor Tony, who becomes her partner in search for justice, has a warmth that cuts through the darkness. Tony, played by Elijah Wood, is a metal-loving martial arts wannabe with a rat tail who says a little prayer before whipping out a ninja star.
So yeah, far from Frodo.
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Ruth and Tony get in over their heads and the movie gets even darker. It's reminiscent of Coen brothers comedies, although there are moments when Blair's well-paced story starts to wobble.
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Bottom line: "I don't feel at home in this world anymore," is entertaining if you like dark humor, and as a bonus, it will turn you into Lynskey's number one fan.
You won't have to wait long to see the movie at home. It airs on Netflix starting Feb. 24.
Brittany Levine Beckman was Mashable's managing editor. She enjoys crafting feature ideas, learning new things, and party parrots. Before working at Mashable, she covered community news at the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register. That's how she met a zonkey and the tallest man in the world.
