Skip to main content

Review: Living with Yourself (2019)

Living With Yourself (2019)

In this golden age of television there are a few base requirements that are usually needed for me to choose to invest my time and get onboard with a new show. That is, the show has to: 1. have an original concept/premise; 2. be well written and acted (obviously); and 3. not be a procedural (I am so so over cop, medical and legal shows). Here are a few examples of recent shows that I love: Fleabag, Bojack Horseman, Russian Doll, The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, Succession, Barry, Killing Eve, Rick and Morty, Watchmen and probably some others I can't think of right now. P.S. feel free to comment below if you want me to review any of these particular shows.
Living With Yourself is a perfect example of a show that more-than-meets my criteria. It is an intimate and insular show with a great premise, great writing and a fantastic performance by Paul Rudd (and also Aisling Bea). Some may actually find it a little too low-key as it is very much a character piece but I really adore it for this reason.

I don't want to spoil the show too much as most episodes are capped with cliffhangers. However, the basic premise is that Rudd's Miles Elliot discovers that there is an alternate version of himself living in his world. The narrow focus of this creative concept is the perfect vehicle to allow a dive into some heady themes about marriage, self-identity, self-improvement, depression and others, all of which this show tackles admirably. Additionally, with only 8 episodes of 25 minutes each, this show is ridiculously easy to binge, and, unlike many shows of yesteryear, this one does not overstay its welcome but makes you excited for more in future seasons.

Credit must be given to the show's creator, Timothy Greenberg, who wrote the entire series, and to Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris who co-directed all of the episodes. There is very much a unified and cohesive flow to the series that must be credited to the great work of these three individuals. As mentioned earlier too, I would say that this is Paul Rudd's finest work to date (playing multiple yet distinct versions of the same character) and clearly illustrates his capabilities as one of the best working actors today. For anyone who enjoys introspective, exceptionally well-made dramedies, I really recommend checking out Living with Yourself. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Palm Springs (2020)

Palm Springs (2020) TLDR: An entertaining story of a man and woman stuck in a same-day loop, an entertaining story of a man and woman stuck in a same-day loop, an entertaining sto -- While not the first and definitely not the last take on the 'time loop' story, Palm Springs succeeds as a contemporary rom-com due to the strength of the two leads, the film's consistent laughs and shocks, and an underlying and compelling depth at the heart of the story.  Palm Springs is yet another highly-recommended indie film that gives new life into a well worn genre and premise. The time loop setup has been attached to pretty much every type of story at this point from action to horror, drama to rom-com. Of course, one of the originals, Groundhog Day, may be the most similar to Palm Springs in its somewhat kitschy romantic comedy. However, Palm Springs has contemporary stylings in its honest and flawed characters, its edge and bouts of crudeness/violence, and its tendency to ve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: How to With John Wilson (Season 1)

How to With John Wilson (Season 1) TLDR: It's hard to describe exactly what How To is or why exactly it works, but there's a certain point in every episode when the comedy begins to click and then the human element - the surprising poignancy and the everyman/woman relatability - comes out in spades. This documentary series is unlike anything else out there and absolutely worth your time. Who exactly is John Wilson? That's the first question that comes to mind when HBO's new documentary series is recommended to a new viewer. The name is in the show's title, and yet John Wilson is rather a nobody in the grand scheme of things as well as in the entertainment industry (at least he was prior to the becoming a bonafide hit). However, not long ago, contemporary comedy icon Nathan Fielder discovered Wilson and, after seeing his work and style, decided to jump on board as a producer for a new series made by Wilson.  So, again, what exactly is this show? Well, each episode of...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discussion: Parasite's Big Oscar Win

Parasite: Ushering In A New Era For The Oscars? Last night's Best Picture win by Parasite was a major milestone for the Academy Awards. It marked the first time in history that a foreign-language film won the Oscars' highest accolade. As many voices are currently discussing, this may be the precursor to a new era of internationalism for the Academy Awards, as well as, for Hollywood and Western cinema.  Firstly, let's just say with certainty that Bong Joon-Ho's Parasite deserved the myriad of awards it received last night: Best International Feature, Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture. Notably, making the wins even more special was the fact that it was the first time a South Korean had been nominated for either Best Picture or International Feature. Parasite really is a marvelous film though, and one that should be seen by all. The film is about a 'parasitic' lower-class family who slowly infiltrate an upper-class family through various i...
Post a Comment
Read more