“What makes you think he’s crazy?” – Darius
There’s a particular low key, aimless quality to certain
independent films that can ultimately be their downfall. Gigantic and Daydream Nation
are two good examples of this. The films are so directionless that they’re
ultimately string thin thematically, and emotionally. But the low-key, low
stakes drama of independent film storytelling isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
When done right, it allows for intimate, personal stories that Hollywood films
generally avoid making.
Which isn’t to say that Safety
Not Guaranteed is aimless, but rather that it wears it indie heart on its
sleeve. And despite the interesting concept at the center of the premise
involving a reporter (Jake Johnson) and his two interns (Aubrey Plaza and Karan
Soni) getting the scoop on a man who posts an ad seeking a partner to time
travel with him; the film primarily is about quieter, character based moments about
people making unexpected connections.
I remember first discovering Aubrey Plaza in 2009’s Funny People where she plays an
incredibly sarcastic comedian who Seth Rogen fails to get with. The highlights
of Funny People are its various
moments of stand ups and Plaza, for the brief screen time she receives, has some
incredibly funny, stand out moments. Plaza would continue with this sarcastic,
deadpan persona to great effect as April Ludgate in the excellent NBC comedy series
Parks and Recreation. Safety Not
Guranteed requires a bit more emotional heft of Plaza than she is typically
asked of in Parks and Rec (the series has a big, beating heart underneath all
the satire and Plaza has begun to break down the cold, deadpan exterior of April
to show greater emotional shades, but the series doesn’t really have her wear
her heart on her sleeves like Safety Not
Guaranteed does). It’s refreshing to see Plaza work with material that
gives her surprising emotional range and depth, and she plays the role incredibly
well.
Jake Johnson is also primarily only known for his tv career,
for his turn as nice, soulful guy Nick Miller in New Girl. Here he plays against the expectations of him as the nice
guy to great effect. Johnson is Jeff Schwensen, a dickish, selfish magazine
reporter who’s using the excuse of the story to get away and try to hook up
with a former, high school girlfriend. Jeff is a guy trying to ignore the fact
he’s getting older. He’s a skeptical asshole who thinks he’s better than
everyone else. And yet Johnson makes him incredibly charming and likable
despite the fact he’s a narcissistic ass.
By the end of the movie, we don’t really care whether the
guy actually has invented a time machine or not (although we do get a
definitive answer) because it doesn’t matter.
Mark Duplass portrays Kenneth Calloway (the guy with visions of time
travel grandeur) wonderfully, providing him such outright sincerity, honesty,
and kindness that it doesn’t matter that he’s just a bit weird and offputting.
Much like Duplass’s Calloway, Safety Not
Guaranteed is a little quirky, but it’s sincere and charming, probably more
than it has any right to be.
Grade: B+
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