Described as a “post-mumblecore snapshot of 20-something stagnancy and dejection,” 2021’s I Don’t Even Want Me is a slow and pensive drama that aims for hyperrealism. Loren (Loren Natario) is a twenty-something fresh out of college, and he’s stuck. Life seems to be passing him by as he molders in his bedroom in his parents’ house, searching for a job that will take him but won’t grind his passion to dust. Meanwhile, his friends have left or moved into the city, finding success in work and love where Loren has only found rejection. This thematically aimless plot meanders for a while, trying to give us a glimpse into the lives and struggles of the average Gen Z young adult.
The first feature by Grif Benzel, I Don’t Even Want Me is a bit of a mixed bag. It has a lot of good things going for it: cinematography, thoughtful staging, effective use of black and white, and some very relatable plot points. The struggle of the job search is real for a wide swath of younger Americans, and those moments hit me like a freight train (speaking of—if you’ve got a remote archivist or librarian position opening, drop me a line and I’ll send you my résumé). In these ways, the film does a great job of portraying depression and isolation.
Where the film falls short is in the writing. There isn’t a whole lot for the actors to work with, even though they try their hardest. Many moments that could have felt slice-of-life had the obvious fingerprints of the director on them, and I feel this betrays the attempts at realism. Likewise, the aimlessness of the plot and the themes of isolation make for a bit of a dull feature: this would have been a highly recommended 40ish-minute short film, but as a 75-minute-long feature, it will likely lose the attention of some viewers.
For its glimpse into the everyday life of a passionate young adult navigating the modern job market, and as a thoughtful, if flawed, drama, you may want to consider I Don’t Even Want Me more highly if your collection serves a lot of twenty-somethings who are fresh out of college. Recommended.
What kind of film collection would this title be suitable for?
I Don’t Even Want Me would be a thoughtful addition to film collections that focus on millennial and Gen Z narratives, especially those emphasizing mental health, post-college transitions, and employment precarity. It fits well in indie drama collections, particularly for libraries looking to expand their holdings in microbudget films. Public libraries in university towns or institutions that serve large populations of young adults may find this title resonates with patrons navigating similar life stages.
What kind of film series would this narrative fit in?
This film would work well in a curated series centered on “quarter-life crisis” cinema, modern coming-of-age stories, or post-college drift. It could also accompany a series on low-budget first features, especially those that focus on personal or generational malaise. Other potential themes for pairing include “cinema of isolation,” “Gen Z on screen,” or films exploring the intersections of creativity and burnout. It would also complement titles by filmmakers like Andrew Bujalski or Alex Ross Perry, whose characters often struggle with self-definition in the shadow of adulthood.