Parents' Guide to An Honest Life

Netflix bills this as a tale of a "cynical law student," but, as Simon says himself, he is just bored. The setup for An Honest Life shows such promise, which is why it's so disappointing when it fails to live up to it. The filmmakers' interest in ideas is laudable. Professors speak of the law with reverence, but they depict law school as a cutthroat setting where students steal library books to keep classmates from doing well. The filmmakers note that democratic freedom is dependent on limitations that are entwined in laws. But they present law school as an inhumane machine that turns out cookie-cutter citizens equipped to work within—and work around—the law. It's a grim view. They are just as tough on the anti-establishment. As it turns out, neither Simon nor any of the anarchists he eventually joins have any real principles. The high-end consumer tastes and habits drive the renegade anarchists just as they drive his privileged law school roommate. They all drink lots of good wine, and drunken partying is enjoyed by both. The group members justify stealing from the rich because the rich supposedly do not deserve their wealth and also because the rich oppress the poor. But no effort is made to help the poor they pretend to care about. In fact, they believe that providing education and health care for the underprivileged doesn't create equal opportunity for all, so why bother?

They often seem like a bunch of unprincipled hedonists who enjoy the rush of crime and don't mind when innocents get hurt. Ultimately, Simon seemingly decides to break with the group, but he remains an idiot, useful or not, having learned nothing from his adventures. More confusing yet, when Simon has the power to upend the group's last lethal heist, he does nothing to prevent it and even helps with their getaway, in spite of the fact that he seems to disapprove of their killing a bystander. In the end, none of this makes much sense.