“Living with Yourself” is a comedy/drama starring the amazing Paul Rudd as two different version of himself: one version being his regular self while the other is composed of all his best qualities – in other words, the better version of himself.
The story follows Miles Elliot, played by Paul Rudd, as a copywriter who has found himself in a rut in life. His friend recommends him to try a special clinic. In the process of trying out the special clinic, Miles wakes up as a clone while the original Miles is left for dead in a bag in the woods. Though the story does take some dark turns, it still maintains the comedic tones throughout the series.
The series also stars Aisling Bea as Kate Elliot, the wife of Miles Elliot who has been keeping secrets from her spouse. Some of the episodes being retold in the wife’s perspective are some of the best parts of the series, which really pushed the noir tones of the series.
The perspective also switched between original Miles and “best” Miles, which allowed the audience to see unique perspectives from each of the characters.
Another great component of the series is its pacing. The episodes move fast, which goes great with the storytelling of the series. It really all just falls into place with the overall concept. The storyline was fresh and pure entertainment that jumps off the screen as usual with a Netflix original.
The comedic side of the series was at a high, as Paul Rudd definitely has a play in that field. The dramatic tones illustrated in the series were also a great sight to watch. Paul Rudd managed to show great versatility in his performance of switching from one Miles Elliot to the other. His emotions were a great way to bump the series to a new level, as well.
The other great addition to the series was its length. The episodes are the right length for binging the series in a day. The episodes may not be as long as other Netflix Original series, but it makes up for it in the good quality.
The series does a great job showing the effects on married couples wanting to have children but possibly not being able to. It really illustrated the struggles in a truthful and complex way that was done in an artistically entertaining way.
Overall, the series was highly entertaining and a great starring vehicle under Paul Rudd’s belt, especially after becoming a meme sensation from doing promo for the series. Paul Rudd really drives home a uniquely twisted story of suddenly having a clone.
Echo Grade: A
