I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017) User Reviews

Quirky comical story about a sweet lady, who cant stand the brutalities of other people anymore and takes the law into in her own hands. Good fun.

[imseeg · 7/10 · 19 February 2019]

The bad: some loopholes in the plot irritated me. And there are some unnatural editing jumps in the story. Elijah Wood's character isnt very convincing. But besides these 3 minor flaws this is an enjoyable black comedy.

The good: what is particular funny is the "snowball effect" of the story. It starts out with a woman's small frustration that the police wont retrieve her stolen notebook for her, when she knows the exact adress where her notebook is residing, because of a gps tracker. She decides to take the law into her own hands and asks her neighbour Elijah Wood to help her retrieve her notebook. After that things start spiralling out of control quickly in an amusing way.

Funny and quirky "out of control" story. Great acting performance by Melanie Lynskey, who plays the part of the "sweet" lady, who wont take the injustice any more. She is true to life in her acting, which lift this black comedy up to an enjoyable level, which it wouldnt have been, if this over the top story had been portrayed in a farcical way.

I need credibility, even in a comedy, to enjoy a movie better. And however weird this story might seem, one could imagine, (up to a certain point), that things really got out of hand, the way it is being portrayed here.

In the end this story unfortunately does become somewhat farcical, yet it was still suspenseful and funny enough to watch it through to the end.

Nice black comedy, with a few minor flaws.

Heartfelt absurd black comedy with gore

[stroggos · 8/10 · 24 February 2017]

Loved this film! Melanie Lynskey does a great job as depressed nurse with a penchant for justice who unwillingly becomes a vigilante. Elijah Wood is hilarious as her sidekick. The story is absurd and fast-paced. Cinematography is spot-on, with camera-work and colors that create a moody, slightly surreal atmosphere. And all throughout the movie breathes with life and love for its wonderful characters.

You gotta be able to withstand some violence though—there definitely is some in here. To me, the violence felt natural and was still humorous enough not to be overly shocking, reminiscent of movies such as Super and Kick Ass. So, go and watch this cute little gem!

That's not your lawn tiger...

[Sporkstera · 8/10 · 11 April 2019]

Truly enjoyable hidden gem on Netflix. An unassuming lead who represents everyone of us in a way that no Hollywood regulars ever could, in a great performance. Elijah Wood in a messed up artsy role. Unique, DARK but often hilarious film. A weirdly entertaining and familiar tale. Entertaining from beginning to end, with no breaks, in my opinion. Excellent film that performs way beyond the statistics!

Worth Watching.

[25WR · 7/10 · 24 February 2017]

Started a bit slow, and it seemed like it was trying too hard with the so-called cringe humor. I still enjoyed the photography, editing and music even though I wasn't impressed with the plot. Then things changed dramatically for the better. One thing I noticed towards the ending was the similarities with "The Shining" (1980) both in set and music. Might have been wishful thinking but my I'm pretty sure there's a bit of a reference there.

Fantastic acting, I didn't realise the main character was played by the "Heavenly Creatures" (1994) actress. Never really seen her "black, beautiful little eyes" since then, but her average mid-thirties woman looks were very refreshing for a leading character in a motion picture. Elijah Wood always delivers of course, he was hilarious as a very specific loser type.

Overall a very, very good dark comedy with existential overtones, nice plot turns and a great atmosphere. Loved it.

A Wicked Blend Of Crime & Comedy That's As Amusing As It Is Rueful

[CinemaClown · 5 March 2017]

Macon Blair's feature film debut is a wicked blend of violence & hilarity that balances the elements of crime & comedy with flair, offers an interesting insight into the norms of lower-class American society, and is wonderfully uplifted by quirky inputs from its cast to succeed as an indie that's as amusing as it is rueful.

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore tells the story of a lonely woman who's sick of people being indecent all around her and is pushed to the limit when her home gets robbed. Enlisting the help of a neighbour, the two decide to go after the ones who burglarized her house but soon find themselves out of their depths.

Written & directed by Macon Blair in what's his directional debut, the film exhibits a shade or two of Jeremy Saulnier's thrillers when it comes to depicting violence but most of it is pierced by well- dosed humour that serves as a counterpoint. The plot takes a while to get going but once it gains the momentum, it is expertly maintained till the end.

Featuring an idiosyncratic list of characters whose arcs are embedded with serviceable depths, the first act attempts to establish our protagonist's lonely state & morals before bringing more people into the play. Melanie Lynskey plays her leading part brilliantly and supporting her throughout is Elijah Wood who delivers a downright hilarious performance as her neighbour.

On an overall scale, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore is a confidently crafted beginning of Macon Blair's directional career and is a morality play that's quite timely but there was still room for improvement, for few segments are drawn out, narrative flow is inconsistent at times, and it settles for a safe conclusion. Nevertheless, for a debut feature, it is as good a start as any. Worth a shot.

It's an entertainer!!!

[akb007 · 6/10 · 8 March 2017]

Ruth lives an unhappy life and when she realizes her home is robbed, Ruth gets frustrated. With the lazy attitude of the police to solve the crime, Ruth teams up with her oddball neighbor Tony, heavy-metal-loving neighbor to track down the criminals who stole Ruth's stuff. Melanie Lynskey provides a genuine performance of a normal nurse who later turns into a vigilante. Elijah was likable as Tony, a comic character. The combination of comedy and brutality makes it interesting sometimes. Overall, it's an entertaining movie with occasional comic scenes.

Quirky comedy ruined by lame, lazy conclusion

[curtis-8 · 6/10 · 11 February 2018]

I had high hopes for this movie. For most of its running time it was an original, subtle, quirky story with believable characters. But (SPOILER) 4/5ths of the way through it enters Tarantino land. In other words, the gentle quirkiness is traded for gratuitous violence. And that's not even the bakery. The bad part is that its a lazy, derivative, stupid violent ending. It's like when young filmmakers can't figure out how to end a film they automatically resort to blowing everything up or big shootouts. It is lazy and boring.

Really enjoyed

[kevinbarry89 · 9/10 · 26 February 2017]

No matter what the genre line says, this is a black comedy and a good one at that.The acting is spot on and sometimes especially in the later parts of the film a little over the top but it does add to where the story is going at the time and fits very well.

I think I can count on one hand the amount of movies lately that have made me laugh out loud, thankfully this one had me on more than one occasion.

Obviously the director is a Coen bros fan, it has touches of Fargoish mundane reality mixed with comedic gore filled violence.

The soundtrack was effortless and complimented the mood of each particular part of the movie.

Overall a good watch and not overly long or drawn out so 9/10.

Points for Big Red soda!

[Ichirito28 · 6/10 · 16 October 2019]

This movie started off pretty strong imo, had an interesting premise and fun characters. I love that Elijah Woods character is always drinking Big Red soda and by the end of the movie the main character is too.. Anyways that's beside the point.. I feel towards the middle of the movie the story took a sharp turn into something different and the whole feel of the movie changed. It was honestly difficult to finish. You know when a movie starts to feel like work, more than relaxing, something's wrong.. Still it had its moments and maybe worth checking out if you're bored. Or just watch until it gets bad.

Don't let the pretentious sounding title put you off.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 27 July 2018]

According to Slipknot, people = s**t, and that's the conclusion despondant nursing assistant Ruth (Melanie Lynskey) arrives at after witnessing those around her acting like assholes on a daily basis. When her home is burgled, and the police prove less than helpful, Ruth decides enough is enough, and, with help from her neighbour Tony (Elijah Wood), tries to track down those responsible to let them know just how despicable they are.

A smart black comedy featuring standout performances from Lynskey and Wood, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore is the directorial debut of actor Macon Blair, which makes the movie an all the more impressive achievement. Blair handles the action like a seasoned pro, leading his likeable protagonists into unpredictable situations that go from bad to worse, culminating in a brilliantly orchestrated orgy of violence. What starts out as a quirky drama winds up in seriously dark territory that is scarily brutal, absurdly amusing and hugely entertaining.

Highly recommended. 8/10.

Not as nihilistic as its title may suggest.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 6/10 · 10 October 2020]

This quirky black comedy constantly toes the line between bleak satire and thematic sincerity. Though 'I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore. (2017)' does eventually progress into a bloody, blunt and almost nihilistic finale that feels inspired by something like 'No Country For Old Men (2007)', the majority of the picture is quiet, grounded and rather unpredictable. It doesn't neatly fit into one genre but it wears its inspirations on its sleeve, shifting between tones and tropes as required. It does successfully subvert a good chunk of the stuff it touches on, most notably its 'revenge' elements. Most of it feels grounded in a refreshing sort of way, while its focal disillusionment isn't as oppressive as you may expect. Ultimately, the movie isn't as downbeat as its title would lead you to believe. It's typically enjoyable, with a strong central dynamic that doesn't overplay its hand, and it's well-made overall. 6/10

A very welcome addition to Netflix

[perkypops · 9/10 · 25 February 2017]

From the first lines spoken in this deeply, darkly black comedy you feel you are in for a treat and you most certainly are. Pathos, farce, black comedy at it best but with an undeniably astute message underpinning an excellent script sprinkled with the occasional clever little cinematic trick. The acting is supreme right across the board. The direction and detail (watch a cyclist zig-zag down a road) bringing out the detail and meaning of what unfolds before us. In every way this is a real gem of a film. And time moves so incredibly fast watching this movie so well paced is all the action.

Certainly a movie deserving of as wide an audience as it can possibly get.

Nine out of ten.

Dark, funny, and slickly crafted indie gem! [+70%]

[arungeorge13 · 7/10 · 13 June 2021]

This film has a lot going for it - the unexpected blend of gory action, bleak tone, two excellent leads, eccentric humour, and an engaging score. Indie-favorite Macon Blair's writing and direction are first-rate - the vibe reminds you of frequent-collaborator Jeremy Saulnier's style, but with added quirks. Blair exhibits splendid control over the film's tonality and pacing. Melanie Lynskey (as depressed nursing assistant Ruth) and Elijah Wood (as Tony, her neighbour with anger issues) deliver delicious performances. The writing builds Ruth up well - her internal angst and rage are justified - once the frustration levels reach breaking point, she goes on a vigilante-like rampage alongside Tony whose bizarre antics (and weapons) will definitely make you LOL. The final shot is a thing of beauty as well, and I smiled hard for it!

Funny characters but stupid story

[Alexander_Blanchett · 5/10 · 19 October 2017]

It had a good and promising start and I liked its dark and sometimes crude humor but it just went too much over the top after a while and I stopped caring half way through. Acting wise it was very tolerable and that is probably the most positive thing you can say about it. Melanie Lynskey was great and its always good to see her. Glad she had another opportunity for a lead role and she perfectly fitted that role and her humor was right on point. Good performance. Also Elijah Wood was hilarious and perfect for the kind of character he played. Yes those roles were very well written and had a great sense of self irony. I just felt towards the idea the writer went out of ideas and just tried to be gory and bloody whenever he found an opportunity. Cute story for sure, but also nothing too new and not always too believable. I think it tries to be a cult film but fails at that.

Unpredictable, if messy

[Red_Identity · 1 March 2017]

There's definitely something to be said about a film that seems to be as demented and as outrageous as this one. I say that as a very high compliment. The passion driving the filmmakers is clearly visible on screen and there is a lot to be said about a film that you watch that doesn't let you have any idea of where it will go. The two leads are also very strong, especially Melanie Lynskey who has proved herself to be more than capable of leading roles time and time again. She deserves more attention in general. I do think the film suffers from mixing genres a little too much and a little too often, sometimes to the point that I was not sure how to take certain scenes and what their intention was. Still, a very interesting and entertaining film and one that will hopefully gain a large audience.

"Now we're cookin' with gas!"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 21 January 2021]

You might not feel at home with this picture either, but it's another unconventional film from Netflix that will appeal to a certain segment of the viewing audience. I get a kick out of their viewer warnings prior to each film; for this one they have language, violence and smoking. The 'smoking' part kills me every time I see it on one of their offerings, like that can be equated to masochism, flagrant use of the 'F' word, and buckets of gore that are often a staple of their pictures. Just saying.

Anyway, a rather timid nursing home assistant (Melanie Lynskey) who's home has been burglarized, teams up with an awkward neighbor (Elijah Wood) after the local police aren't very helpful in tracking down the miscreants. Wood plays his character like the kind of guy who would like to fit in but knows he never will, at least in somewhat normal company. You get a sense of his own personal moral code when he distances himself from Ruthie's (Lynskey) theft of a bamboo lawn tiger. He's also clumsily handy with his nunchakus, almost to the point of hurting himself. I sure wouldn't get in his way, especially when he throws those shurikens. They could hurt.

Where I thought the story went a little off the rails was when the old guy Marshall (David Yow) tore after Ruthie in the swamp, and she had that brief encounter with the snake. For that snake to make it back for a second go round with the old dude seemed like a stretch, but what the heck. It made for a creative removal of that guy from the picture. Earlier, in a scene reminiscent from the "Ozark" series, Marshall's son Chris (Devon Graye), who started all the trouble to begin with by invading Ruthie's house, failed to look both ways before crossing and got hammered for his trouble. Man, did he look creepy.

Should you make it to the end of the story, I'm curious as to how Tony (Wood) made his way to the backyard barbecue after getting stabbed in the gut multiple times by Dez (Jane Levy), the third member of the bad guy trio with Marshall and Chris. Was that a dream sequence or what? It looked like it could have been. It all plays to the movie's theme song that corresponds to the title of this flick, and has a much more upbeat feel to it than anything that happened in the story.

I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore, either.

[sbweightman · 7/10 · 24 November 2020]

A dark comedy about a woman who has had enough of the injustices in her life and the way people treat each other and decides to take matters into her own hands. The plot has some good observations and enough funny moments but it gets silly towards the end and her role in the finale didn't really fit for me. Great acting from the lead actress and Elijah Wood as the 'keyboard warrior' neighbor.

Coenbrothersesque

[MadamWarden · 7/10 · 15 December 2018]

Great fun Middle American trailer trash crime movie in the vein of the Coen Brothers. Not quite Fargo but worth a watch. Good characters, dialogue and out of control plot.

Good rainy afternoon fodder.

Well worth checking out

[houndtang75 · 8/10 · 24 February 2017]

I Don't Feel at Home in this World Anymore - mouthful of a title masks a nifty little blackly comic thriller about a woman turning to vigilantism after a burglary. Melanie Lynskey is perfect in the main role and is well supported by Elijah Wood and by a quirky cast of side characters. The plot goes in one or two unexpected directions and the film doesn't outstay its welcome. Writer/Director Macon Blair - who starred in the thematically similar but more po-faced Blue Ruin - has made a most enjoyable debut here.

Getting Back Up

[ThurstonHunger · 7/10 · 5 July 2020]

Hell, I'm going to round it up from a 6.something for several reasons. I think the role thrust upon Melanie Lynskey was not so easy to capture the weak/tough divide, that she gets flipped over by getting flipped off by the world. She's had enough, and that's a pretty relatable sentiment. Ms. Lynskey brought it all together for me, he kewpie doll voice was one small piece of that.

I reckon most everyone feels they've been cheated, jumped in line, bypassed and so forth if not much, much worse; and then reached out the authorities only to find out that the crime is too small to even be worth an effort towards justice (or maybe in corporate fashion too large often to be even looked into?). I accidentally saw the "Cliff Notes" and the director was indeed frustrated by a break-in (the stuff being stolen suck, but just the violation....of your "Home" that robs you of even more. In this notes, apparently he cites this as a companion film to "Falling Down."

But this being from a woman's point of view, it is a distinctly different film. I do think it's important that her day job is as a nursing aide, that's a world away from Michael Douglas' Dirty Harry in a starched shirt. The film has a lot of contributing roles, notably Elijah Wood numchukking without relying too much on the yuks on his way as a benevolent incel. I don't see too much comedy here, besides the sweet, lactose-and-generally aware and tolerant trophy wife. She eventually makes sure to tell the audience how to judge the lead characters, but I don't think we needed the hand, just the a sense of exoneration perhaps for being accomplices to crimes trying to rectify crimes.

Macon allows for a small counterargument on behalf of the powerless authorities and against vigilantism via Gary Anthony Williams. What else can I say? Snakes are evil, and so is Bernie Madoff (again this film is on a much lower level of larceny).

Unexpectedly Good and Quite Fresh

[lediscipledessocrates · 8/10 · 27 February 2017]

With a simple but solid story line, interesting characters , good dialogue and good acting, we have a very decent movie here. The plot is woven so as to move at a healthy pace and this further helps the movie.

In one sense it can be called a back to basics to thriller-drama with the necessary ingredients. And that is why, perhaps, it is quite unconventional for this day and age.

The entire cast acts well. The movie is not pretentious , which is such a huge relief. There are elements of some dark humour, that sit well.

There is violence in the movie, and you may refer to the Parents Guide section of this site for more details.

On the whole it is pretty good . Unexpectedly so.

Some how feel good

[bradleyjburnett · 7/10 · 21 December 2019]

It's a dark comedy thriller which is well worth a lazy day watch. It some how makes you feel better about your own life situations

Thank you Macon Blair and indie films alike!

[alexanderstephencraig · 9/10 · 24 February 2017]

The first thing that drew my eye to this film was the involvement of Macon Blair and Elijah Wood. I have seen Melanie Lynskey in other films but not lead roles and she did not disappoint. The acting across the board was fantastic from the lead characters, to the smallest extras. I expect as much from Macon after watching his work with his friend Jeremy Saulnier. They both worked on Blue Ruin and Green Room together which were both very raw films with stories and characters that you can actually believe exist. So when I saw Blair was writing and directing his own film, I expected much of the same believable vibes, and I got it.

The film would not be the same if it were backed by a large film company and I think that's why these indie films shown at Sundance are so good. When I heard Netflix bought this film I was a little too excited. It will hopefully, collectively, with other great indie films, bring better standards for the average box office garbage.

The best quality about the film, in my opinion, is the acting and the characters. I wont go into detail because it's too much fun watching them unravel on screen; especially Elijah Wood's character. The film is listed as crime, drama, and a thriller. But it honestly has a bit of a dark humor vibe to it brought out by the story and sincere acting.

I can't wait to see Macon Blair's next project, along with Elijah Wood. This film is incredibly entertaining from start to finish and is just one of those films you can watch over and over. Definitely check it out and you will not be disappointed.

Charming, dark, absurd - worth watching!

[ms-kellymarti · 7/10 · 29 August 2021]

Enjoyed this one! Arthouse vibes, dark, odd, adventurous, humorous in an absurd way, and surprisingly profound at times. Well poised balance of existential grittiness with an undercurrent of charm.

All over the place

[gspencley · 3/10 · 25 February 2017]

Ruth our protagonist (played by Melanie Lynskey) wants people to "not be jerks*" That is what this movie is about.

I watched the entire film from beginning to end, and I kept hoping that it would get better. It constantly gave me the sense that something was about to pick up in the next scene, but alas the credits rolled and I sat there wondering: "why did I dislike like this movie so much?"

It was not the cast or the acting, which was superb. The cinematography and atmosphere was excellent. It was the lack of direction that I had a problem with. It felt random, pointless and all over the place.

I believe that the reason it lacked direction is because if, as our protagonist states, the goal is for people to "not be jerks" then what the movie needs is a strong "anti-jerk" hero to contrast. But I didn't like any of the characters. Ruth herself was certainly not an example of "good person." She wasn't bad, but she wasn't fit to demonstrate what "not being a jerk" entails. She could have learned that throughout the movie. If that was intentionally (an "unlikely hero" perhaps?) then she could have had an epiphany along her journey and realized "whoa, it turns out that I'm actually a jerk too? So what does not being one look like and how can I achieve that?" Instead she was just a bumbling idiot that experienced a series of unfortunate events and never really developed all that much. She was never given that crucial moment (usually placed towards the beginning of a story) that wins the viewer, gets them on her side and has them rooting for her the rest of the movie. I found myself not caring one way or the other whether she succeeded.

The bad guys didn't seem particularly menacing to me either, probably because of how stupid they were. Rather than being sinister "jerks" for the hero to fight, they were idiotic drugged out addicts. Again not supporting the movie's stated theme.

Elijah Wood's character was interesting, and perhaps the most likable for me ... but he didn't seem to serve much of a purpose other than to be a plot device.

In the end I found the movie rather boring and pointless. 3 stars for acting and cinematography. -7 for not knowing how to stay on point and effectively tell a story with a strong central theme.

* (Ruth's actual wording was slightly different, but IMDb's guidelines request that we refrain from profanity so I'm erring on the side of caution).