Netflix doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to releasing original feature films, many of which aim what are often forgettable stories at less-than-discerning audiences. I know I’ve certainly been burned time and time again after trying Netflix movies like The Man From Toronto, Me Time, and Atlas, but hope springs eternal — the streamer has just released not one but two new original films that critics have been downright rapturous in their praise of, one of which is streaming now while the other has begun a limited theatrical run before heading to Netflix later this month.
The two movies that have garnered basically universal praise include the pulse-pounding action thriller Rebel Ridge, which hit Netflix last week, as well as His Three Daughters — a profoundly moving drama with a star-studded cast that’s in some theaters now.
Just to give some perspective: Rebel Ridge had a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score for quite a while before dipping to 94% as of this writing. Similarly, His Three Daughters has a near-perfect critics’ score of 98% as of this writing.
We’ll start with the latter, which hits Netflix on Sept. 20, first. Starring Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, and Carrie Coon, writer-director Azazel Jacobs’ film tells the story of three sisters who’ve returned to their father’s home as his health begins to fail. Because time is running out, they want to be there before the end — but as they await the inevitable, emotions become raw. Their relationships strain, and old resentments rise to the surface.
Coon plays Katie, the controlling mother of a wayward teenage daughter. Olsen’s Christina is a freer spirit who’s also a mother and now separated from her child for the first time, while Lyonne’s Rachel is a stoner who bets on sports and has never left her father’s apartment. The latter, in fact, is one of the biggest fault lines between the sisters, given that Katie and Rachel both share the same mother and also have a different worldview than Rachel.
I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise to anyone that the combination of this trio of actresses is nothing short of magic. Know that you will leave His Three Daughters deeply affected by having watched these women explore the dynamics of a family wherein the sisters have each gone their own way in life and reunite in advance of collective grief. I concur with the Rolling Stone reviewer who’s praised this Netflix gem as “nothing less than the single best movie you’ll likely see this year.”
As for Rebel Ridge, it stars Aaron Pierre as the ex-Marine protagonist Terry Richmond. He heads to a small town to post bail for his cousin, but Terry is forced to confront local police chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson), as well as the chief’s trigger-happy officers, when Terry’s life savings are unjustly seized by law enforcement. It’s an Everyman vs. everybody dynamic. Simple, straightforward, balls-to-the-wall action.
Continues Netflix: “Terry finds an unlikely ally in court clerk Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb) and the two become ensnared in a deep-rooted conspiracy within the remote township. As the stakes turn deadly, Terry must call upon his mysterious background to break the department’s hold on the community, bring justice to his own family– and protect Summer in the process.”
The role is nothing short of a star-making turn for Pierre, with Empire magazine calling him a “thinking man’s Rambo” and this “Netflix-and-kill thriller” making for an incredibly fun night in. As I noted above — it’s been a long time since reviewers have talked about Netflix movies like this, and here’s hoping it continues.
Check out trailers for both His Three Daughters and Rebel Ridge below.
