If there’s one thing Netflix does incredibly well, it’s roll out a consistent line of glossy genre films that land mediocre reviews from critics, but still manage to make a splash at the higher end of the most-watched rankings before fading from memory in no time at all. As if by clockwork, Luckiest Girl Alive is here to fulfill that remit.
Incredibly, it’s only been 48 hours since Mr. Harrigan’s Phone premiered to an underwhelming reception – but being an in-house exclusive with a decent premise and a solid cast – it managed to dent the upper echelons of the worldwide watch-list. This time, Mila Kunis headlines the adaptation of Jessica Knoll’s novel, and the first wave of reviews have underlined the streaming service’s most notable recurring problem all over again.
Kunis is admittedly winning strong notices for her performance as a New York City writer forced to confront her troubled and traumatizing past in the face of a true crime documentary that digs deep onto a shocking incident that took place during her high school years – one that threatens to unravel her entire existence should the truth be laid bare.
That being said, director Mike Barker’s thriller ticks almost every single one of the boxes you’d expect from a Netflix original, for better or worse. Recognizable and popular stars in the ensemble? Check. A premise with an intriguing hook? Check. An underwhelming and uninvolving narrative that delivers more negatives than positives? Based on the reactions, that’s definitely a check, too.
Don’t worry, though, because we’d be willing to bet Luckiest Girl Alive will be sitting pretty on the charts this time tomorrow.