In a surprising turn of events, the movie "Hillbilly Elegy", which was released back in 2020, has catapulted to the top of Netflix's charts.
This surge in popularity comes in the wake of Donald Trump's recent announcement that J.D. Vance, the author of the memoir on which the movie is based, will be his running mate in the upcoming presidential election. The sudden spike in viewership reflects a renewed interest in Vance's story and its themes, and people are curious about this somewhat "controversial" adaptation of his life.
Whether you’re tuning in for the first time or revisiting J.D. Vance's challenging journey, we’ve got all the insights you need. Here are more details on this trending drama movie and why it currently sits in the No. 3 spot on Netflix.
'Hillbilly Elegy' viewership suddenly jumps 1000%
‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Netflix views up 1000% since JD Vance named as Trump’s VP pick — No. 1 on Amazon https://t.co/EIxhmt5Cgk pic.twitter.com/XLP3r2b6y5July 16, 2024
Following Donald Trump's announcement on Monday (July 15) naming J.D. Vance as his running mate, viewership of "Hillbilly Elegy" skyrocketed by 1,179% compared to the previous day, as reported by Variety.
The Netflix movie, adapted from Vance’s 2016 memoir, was streamed for 19.2 million minutes on Monday, a significant increase from the 1.5 million minutes watched on Sunday (July 14), when rumors of Vance's potential vice-presidential bid were already widespread.
Vance’s memoir sparked extensive discussion for its insights into the appeal of Trump among working-class white voters. The movie adaptation premiered on Netflix in November 2020 after a brief theatrical release and received largely negative reviews.
Also, within 24 hours of Donald Trump announcing J.D. Vance as his vice-presidential choice, "Hillbilly Elegy" soared to the top of Amazon's best-selling books list.
What is 'Hillbilly Elegy' about?
"Hillbilly Elegy" is a drama based on the best-selling memoir by J.D. Vance. Directed by Ron Howard, the movie tells the story of Vance's chaotic upbringing in a poor Appalachian family.
The story centers on J.D. (Gabriel Basso), a Yale Law student, who is called back to his hometown in Ohio due to a family crisis. As he faces the challenges of his family's dysfunction, he reflects on his childhood, marked by the influence of his strong-willed grandmother (Glenn Close) and his troubled mother (Amy Adams). This movie delves into themes of addiction, poverty and the pursuit of the American Dream.
"Hillbilly Elegy" provides a raw and unfiltered look at the impact of generational trauma and the struggle for self-improvement against the backdrop of a declining industrial America.
Should you stream 'Hillbilly Elegy' on Netflix?
After its release in 2020, “Hillbilly Elegy” gained hundreds of negative reviews online, earning it a low score of 25% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the audience score is high at 82%, meaning there are obvious conflicting opinions.
The Atlantic's David Sims said: "Hillbilly Elegy is an Oscar-friendly narrative of personal triumph in the face of great hardship, a movie designed to end with an uplifting epigraph; it is also one of the worst movies of the year." Meanwhile, Randy Myers from San Jose Mercury News said: "Adams and Close give it their all, but Howard's meek, sanitized drama avoids harsh truths and is counter to what the book was all about."
On the other hand, we have more positive comments from viewers who called it a "beautiful, inspiring story" along with it being "a fantastic movie that really portrayed growing up with trauma and poverty."
So, this movie is one of those instances where you just have to form your own opinion and put these ratings aside. “Hillbilly Elegy” is available to watch on Netflix, and if you’re not interested, check out these movies in the top 10 that are definitely worth watching.
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