Answering the seldom asked question, “Where has Melanie Lynskey been?” this odd film showed up in my queue. I’m embarrassed to discover Ms. Lynskey didn’t go anywhere; she’s been very busy since the films I remember her from – Heavenly Creatures and Ever After … she just hasn’t been in stuff I wanted to see – which, admittedly, is my fault, not Melanie’s. Meh, whatchagonnado?
Speaking of vaguely unimpressed, such describes Ruth (Lynskey), an assistant nurse (?!) who doesn’t seem to be a fan of anything life has to offer. She’s the kind of person a crotchety old geezer swears at right before kicking the bucket only to have geezerkin query, “Did he have any last words?” These are funny moments until you realize exactly how bored and unfulfilled Ruth seems.
And then her house gets broken into. And if you want to channel mild dissatisfaction into genuine antipathy that’s a great way to go about it (if you’re racist, another great way is to have the opposing party vote in a black man as President – apparently, that outrage never goes away; you can be hateful forever). It’s not the theft; all the thieves got was a laptop, some silverware, and some medication – and we know this because these all become plot points. See, Ruth wanted a purpose and now she’s got one … big time.
Ah, but tracking down the jerk who stole your Percocet might lead to trouble, so Ruth is gonna need some muscle. Hey, how about that weird Frodo-lookin’ loner (Elijah Wood) whose dog craps on your lawn? I mean, sure, there all sorts of warning signs: the dated sunglasses, the cut-off tee, that fact that he works out in his backyard to metal and owns nunchucks and throwing stars … these are pretty good reasons to avoid any person. But Ruth’s life is not replete with enforcers, nor clever people, so she’ll take what she can get.
And that’s in over her head.
I wonder if this film had a greater following in New Zealand, what with Lynskey and Elijah Wood and all. Doesn’t matter. For the most part, I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (a truly miserable title, btw) feels like a cautionary tale or a “be careful what you wish for” scenario. The film lulls you into a false sense of general malaise 
and then something shockingly violent will happen and you realize the portrait of a lady on Prozac just became a potential horror film. While I like the invention, I’m not sure the formula works. Do we want to see a likable-yet-generally-modest heroine suddenly become a character from Silence of the Lambs? And the problem then becomes: What is this adventure worth, Ruth? They stole some days out of your life, not years. And what do you plan to do if you could? What is the endgame here? I liked this film enough to recommend it, but not by much.
And Melanie, don’t be such a stranger; it’s nice seeing you on screen –is there any way you can be there more often in things I’m likely to watch?
A break-in makes a bored woman care
Enlisting neighbor, she fights for her share
They could wind up shot
Sam and Frodo they’re not
And what would Sauron do with tableware?
Rated TV-MA, 93 Minutes
Director: Macon Blair
Writer: Macon Blair
Genre: What’s your endgame?
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: The bored and depressed
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: The vain
