Laura Dern’s Crime Drama From 7 Years Ago Is a New Netflix Hit
The movie climbed high to the streaming’s top charts in less than a week after its release.
Netflix remains a popular choice when it comes to checking out some new and long-awaited movies, but old flicks are also welcome on the platform. Traditionally, Netflix has recently added a bunch of movies and shows from previous years to its collection, and one of those films is currently getting a second life on streaming.
Released back in 2018, the biographical drama stars Jack O’Connell and Laura Dern in a very real-life-like story that dives deep into a 2009 crime case. Naturally, the movie was a long-awaited arrival as it was quick to surpass Netflix’s previous big hits after just 5 days on streaming.
Trial by Fire Is a Netflix Hit in the US
Having arrived on the platform on February 13, Trial by Fire is already a new highly demanded flick. The movie is currently holding the third position in Netflix’s US top, surpassed only by the streaming’s fresh arrivals Aftermath and La Dolce Villa, yet still followed by Netflix’s previous big hit Kinda Pregnant, according to FlixPatrol.
Based on American journalist David Grann’s article of the same name, Trial by Fire follows the chronology of real-life events revolving around Cameron Todd Willingham, a stranded and uneducated man convicted of plotting murder of his three daughters in an arson that blazes his Texas home back in 1992.
Chances are that Willingham will eventually end up being executed, but things might change when he finds a very unlikely ally in the person of Elizabeth Gilbert, a lawyer determined to find evidence that will set Willingham free.
Trial by Fire Remained an Overlooked Drama for Years
With the success that the movie is currently getting in Netflix’s top charts, it’s hard to believe Trial by Fire was a very questionable hit back in the day.
The movie opened to mixed reviews from critics and viewers and eventually ended up with scores of 63% and 70% respectively on Rotten Tomatoes. Its theatrical run wasn’t impressive either, as the film was able to make only around $148.000 in the box office.
However, Trial by Fire might be a good watch for those expecting strong lead performances from O’Connell and Dern (they’re in fact there), though the rest of the movie, including its approach to the crime case and use of outdated hooks to keep the viewer’s attention, wasn’t that much of an appeal for quite some time since the film’s release.
