Paddleton, 2019

May, 2023 | NEO LULLA

Paddleton is a Netflix movie directed by Alex Lehmann, with the script being made by the former and Mark Duplass. It was released on February 22, 2019, and received generally favorable reviews from critics. Famous actors include Mark Duplass and Ray Romano, a famous stand-up comedian. Paddleton is a simple, yet beautiful story about friendship, life, and loyalty. The type/genre of the movie can be considered a comedy-drama film, with a lot of cringe and humor in it. The main purpose/lesson the film tries to teach is, “Would you help your best friend in his decision to end his life?” The second lesson would be to enjoy the short time you have with your loved ones before they’re gone. You don’t know for how long they will live and to stay by them when the time comes. If I were to rate the movie myself, I would give it 4/5 stars, as I genuinely liked the movie and recommend it to others for laughter.

The movie starts off in a hospital with a Doctor Hagen talking to Michael Thompson and Andy Freeman, telling the Former that the found a mass in his stomach, which we later find out is terminal and will kill him. Right before the scene ends, Doctor Hagen asks about the two’s relationship, with them answering as just roommates. The doctors/pharmacists prescribe him a bottle of pills, which they tell Michael, if he takes them all, will kill/euthanize him, allowing him to go out before any of the torturous pain comes. Michael decides to go with the plan, and asks Andy to help him take his own life as he is the only person the former feels he can count on to do this with. Andy throughout the trip, as the nearest pharmacy that produces the pills is 6 hours away, consistently tries to motivate and change Michael’s decision to end his life, saying that a miracle can happen. Andy, deep down, does not want to accept the fact that Michael is dying and fights against this, deluding himself. He even buys a mini safe where he places the pills in, locks them within, and withholds the combination from Michael. 

During the trip they have many adventures and funny moments, they visit an ostrich farm, do a scene from their favorite movie in a bar and even break the hotel’s laws they are staying, sneaking into the jacuzzi after hours while they drink. During the jacuzzi scene, they are caught by the hotel owner, Judy, who instead of punishing them, chooses to join them instead and flirt with Andy. Michael, feeling uncomfortable about the flirting, leaves first, leaving the two alone with each other. Judy continuously flirts with Andy, making him also uncomfortable, and finally reaching his boiling point, when she talks about her deceased husband being “all around her.” This hits too closely to Andy, being reminded of Michael’s terminal cancer, and leaves the jacuzzi, going back into his and Michael’s hotel room for the night.

Later, in the morning, Andy wakes up and finds that Michael is missing and so is the safe holding the pills. Andy has a minor panic attack, and goes on a hunt, looking for his roommate. He finds Michael later in the lobby, with the latter waiting for him while holding the safe. Andy tries to take the safe from Michael, causing a small tug of war. Michael, pent up, finally forces Andy to admit the fact that he is dying and doesn’t want to suffer before it’s too late and respect his decision/wishes. They finally drive back to their house, with Michael’s condition deteriorating at last. Andy prepares the lethal dosage, being all the pills, and they reminisce about the past. Michael reveals that he was married but quickly felt uncomfortable about it all and divorced. However, with Andy, he felt a connection and sense of belonging with him the very first time he met. Andy talks about how he thought Michael was a serial killer the first time they met. Right before the dosage is ingested, Michael talks to his sole friend in this world about the possibility of an afterlife and hopes to meet and hang out with Andy there one day. Michael is given the dosage, and shortly after, has a small moment of fear. Andy stays by his side the whole time, soothing his spirit, allowing Michael to pass on. Afterwards, Andy tries to live life without his best friend, but remains lonely. Until one day, a single mother and her son move in, and reassures the boy Evan, and tells him about he and Michaels own original game, paddleton. The movie then ends with Andy entering the house with a smile on his face, no longer sad and lonely.

Regarding the ethics shown, Aristotle’s philosophies regarding friendship are the most important to me. Rather than euthanasia as the topic, to me, the whole film is about these two’s friendship and platonic love for one another. Throughout the movie, many times are Michael and Andy questioned about there relationship, with one person mistaking them for a gay couple. To be clear, the two friends are not romantically involved with one another, with the two having a completely platonic friendship. Of the three types of friendship that Aristotle, these two’s friendship can be one based on pleasure and virtue, due to them enjoying each other’s company. They are each other’s deepest confidants and the only one they can trust to stick with them until the end. Michael and Andy have both the same interests and hobbies, both liking pizza, kung fu movies, and the original game they created, Paddleton, the game that symbolizes their bond. The very way that they “lived together” is what Aristotle used to think about was necessary for a true friendship to occur and happen. To quote Aristotle, “What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” This quote right here perfectly describes their friendship in my opinion. Even though he didn’t want to at first, Andy still stuck by Michaels trip the whole time, excluding the jacuzzi moment, and stayed by him until the very end. They were soulmates, there is no other way to describe their bond in any other words.

Second, in the theory of Ethics of Care, is all about the two’s relationship and there dependency on one another, and Euthanasia as a whole. Andy and Michael are only people they feel each other have. Even though in the movie, we see Michael’s sister trying to call him, he does not respond. Kind of cold, don’t you think so? However, Michael does not do this out of hatred, but the simple fact that he feels he cannot connect with her, just like how Andy is socially awkward at work. When Michael died, Andy felt unfulfilled and hollow. And only until someone new came along did Andy feel that life had meaning again. Regarding the topic of care ethics and euthanasia, Andy showed great character sticking to Michael until the end. He made sure Michael was comfortable and in high spirits throughout the whole trip and did not abandon him at all. When he finally realized there was no cure, Andy accepted Michael’s choice to die with dignity and respected his choice. Just Andy being beside him was all the comfort and care Michael needed on his deathbed.

This ends the simple story of two friends, one passing away, and the other hopeful for the future. Showing that death is not the end, and no one is alone forever. Of how sex and love are not all that is needed in a relationship and what the meaning of true friendship is. This is the movie known as Paddleton.