Summary
The 2020 movieHillbilly Elegymakes its way onto the Netflix Global Top 10 several years after its release. Based on J.D. Vance’s bestselling 2016 memoirHillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis,the movie follows the story of Vance’s character as he receives a phone call that pulls him back to his Ohio hometown, where three generations of his family live.Hillbilly Elegywasdirected by Ron Howardand features a leading cast including Amy Adams, Glenn Close, Gabriel Basso, Haley Bennett, Frida Pinto, and Bo Hopkins.
Hillbilly Elegy Cast & Character Guide
Hillbilly Elegy stars two A-list actresses, so where have you seen them and the supporting cast before? Here’s a brief guide for your Netflix viewing.
Four years after its release,Hillbilly Elegyhas made it to theNetflixGlobal Top 10.Hillbilly Elegycame in at no. 8 on the chartfor the week of July 15 to July 21, with 4.8 million views. Topping the chart this week wereFind Me Fallingat no. 1 (14.4 million views),Trolls Band Togetherat no. 2 (10.3 million views), andLand of Badat no. 3 (8.7 million views).
Why Hillbilly Elegy Is Popular Now
J.D. Vance Was Announced As Trump’s VP Pick
The rise ofHillbilly Elegyon Netflix is concurrent with a milestone for the book’s author and subject, J.D. Vance. On July 15, presidential candidateDonald Trump announced Vance as his VP running matefor the 2024 election. This news story naturally led to an increasinginterest in Vance and his life, which is partially chronicled by the film. The increase in streaming numberswas first reported in the week following Vance’s VP selection and has continued to be shown through the film’s Netflix charting.
Hillbilly Elegysaw a 1,180% surge in viewership the day after J.D. Vance’s VP selection.
Because of Vance’s active relevancy to United States politics, it makes sense, then, why the film was not only popular globally, but even more so on the domestic charts. ForNetflix’s US Top 10,Hillbilly Elegycame in at no. 4, behind onlyTrolls Band Together,Find Me Falling, andLand of Bad. As the election nears, it will be interesting to see whether the film’s Netflix domination continues on the platform in the coming weeks.
Hillbilly Elegy’s Reviews Limited Its Initial Success
This Is The First Time The Film Has Made The Top 10
Hillbilly Elegy’s Netflix Top 10 victory marks the first time that the title has ever made it onto the chart. This statistic is likely becauseHillbilly Elegyreceived poor reviewsat the time of its release. At the time of writing,the film holds a 25% on Rotten Tomatoeswith 260 reviews. A lot of the criticism came from dislike ofHillbilly Elegy’s lead performances, accusing the otherwise revered actors of over-acting and presenting caricatured versions of the people that they represent.The Atlanticcalled it “one of the worst movies of the year,” whileMashablesaid that the movie “conveyed nothing.”
Even with the negative reviews, however, there has always been a disconnect between critical and audience opinionsof Hillbilly Elegy. While the film had a rotten Tomatometer, theaudience approval score for the movie was an 81%,indicating a fairly positive reception from viewers. The first time around, this was not enough to propelHillbilly Elegyto the top 10, but with a second shot, the film has come around to be successful among audiences.
As more people watchHillbilly Elegy, it will be interesting tosee whether the audience score forHillbilly Elegyfluctuates. As millions more views are racked up for the movie, it is more likely that fans will voice their opinions on Rotten Tomatoes. While some of this will likely be praise from those who watch the film to get excited about Trump’s running mate, those who do not support Trump and Vance might lean into the film’s criticism, reflecting their distaste for Vance himself.
Why Hillbilly Elegy Was So Controversial
Some Criticized The Book & Film’s Portrayal Of Appalachia
One major factor inHillbilly Elegy’s reviews was the vehement debates the film caused. As is the case with the memoir on which it was based,Hillbilly Elegywas highly controversial upon its release. While some liked the film, others found its portrayal of those in the Rust Belt to be oversimplified and at times offensive. People felt that the people in theHillbilly Elegymovie were similarly distilled to hapless and lazy people rather than those undergoing the hardships of systemic economic barriers that prevent their growth.
Because of the growing discourse about Vance himself,the rhetoric aboutHillbilly Elegyis likely to be even more vitriolicover the coming weeks. While the VP candidate is now a senator as well, so he has a growing political history, Vance has the rare quality of having the bulk of his story already portrayed in the media. As a result,Hillbilly Elegy, even if problematic, will be a film to turn to for all sides of the political spectrum to learn more about the United States' potential future Vice President.
Hillbilly Elegy
Cast
Directed by Ron Howard for release on Netflix, Hillbilly Elegy is a Drama film released in 2020 and stars Amy Adams and Glenn Close. The plot is based on author J.D. Vance’s memoir of the same name and follows a family as they attempt to deal with their mother’s unstable lifestyle.
