Eventually, Linda grows tired of Bradley’s rudeness and incompetence. She briefly abandons him, leaving him to fend for himself. He attempts to replicate her actions, fails, and quickly gives up, waiting to be rescued and forgiven. But later, when forced to step up, he demonstrates that he always had the capability: he builds a raft, cooks a full meal, even plans to poison her without hesitation. The problem has never been a lack of skill, it’s a lack of effort.

The film’s brilliance lies in this examination of male laziness versus female competence. Bradley’s failures aren’t accidental; they are learned, habitual, and entitled. Even on a deserted island, men like him would rather starve or burn under the sun than put in the work. Off the island, they would rather fail in relationships than rise to meet someone’s needs. They claim ignorance rather than effort — a subtle, sharp critique that hits closer to home than one might expect.

Send Help also delivers an unflinching look at power dynamics and agency. Linda has been overlooked, underestimated, and silenced for decades — by men like Bradley, by systems that reward laziness and entitlement. Yet in the wild, she discovers not just survival, but empowerment. Her joy is palpable: from building shelter to fishing, to improvising comforts, to creating small rituals that make her surroundings livable, Linda thrives in a way that is both satisfying and cathartic to witness.

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McAdams’ performance is central to this effect. She carries every scene with precision, charm, and understated ferocity. O’Brien is solid, but he could have been replaced by any actor capable of playing an entitled, lazy man — the story isn’t about him. It’s about Linda’s ingenuity, her joy in survival, and her righteous assertion of control.

By the end of Send Help, three things are clear. First, Rachel McAdams is one of the finest actresses of her generation, capable of carrying a film almost entirely on her own. Second, reality television — binge-watched for years by Linda — can impart real-life skills and strategies. Third, men like Bradley often have the ability to succeed; they simply choose not to. The film leaves us laughing, exasperated, and, ultimately, inspired. Let men fail — sometimes, they just need the wake-up call.