Jake Johnson’s ‘Self Reliance’ Shows the Impact Reality TV Has Had on Society

The Parting Shot with H. Alan Scott

Now that we’re years into reality television being a mainstay, the question begs to be asked, what impact has it had on society? That’s a question Jake Johnson sets out to answer in his new film Self Reliance (Hulu). Johnson, who wrote and directed the film, also stars as Tommy, a man who gets embroiled in a life-or-death reality game show. “It is a glimpse inside my head, inside a feeling, a tone. I wanted to make something that felt like you went [on] a ride. And sometimes the ride is scary and sometimes it's funny.” Johnson, a fan of reality TV, says you can see the impact it’s had in the work of creatives like him. “When stories turn quicker, and characters are more manic and the story is at the pace of reality TV, then it's been affected, and I am part of the group.” But no matter if you’re a fan of reality TV or not, the film ultimately is a statement on life. “When you watch the movie, even if you're stoned off your a** and you're not a movie person or you're a reality person, you're gonna see some beauty in a great way.”

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