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This Netflix movie just hit No. 1 – what you need to know

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In the case of Netflix’s latest film, both critics and viewers are divided.

(Image credit: Boris Martin/Netflix)

Netflix recently released a brand new No. 1 film, but the critical reception has been less than stellar. As far as high-profile Netflix failures go, this Rebel Wilson flick joins the likes of The Bubble and 365 Days: This Day on the streaming service’s list of most-watched films in 2022.

Stephanie Conway, a high school student who falls into a coma following a prank gone awry in 2002, stars in the film named Senior Year. Stephanie, now 37 years old, awakens from a two-decade slumber and decides to finish high school and earn a diploma. Stephanie, on the other hand, hasn’t changed despite the evolution of the lingo and social groups. Comedy film The Big Sick premiered on Netflix on May 13 and has already surpassed true crime doc Our Father to take first place in the US and UK.

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A brand-new No. 1 movie from Netflix has been met with a critical reception that is more sour than positive. In 2022, this isn’t Netflix’s first high-profile flop, but it does join the likes of The Bubble and 365 Days: This Day in the streaming service’s list of most-watched movies.

Steph Conway (Wilson) is a high school student who falls unconscious when a bad joke goes bad in 2002’s Senior Year (the movie’s title). Stephanie, now 37 years old, awakens from a two-decade slumber and decides to finish high school and earn a diploma. The terminology and cliques may have changed, but Stephanie is still the same person. On May 13th, Netflix released the comedic film, which has since taken the top spot in both the United States and the United Kingdom, displacing the true-crime documentary Our Father.

Critics have slammed Netflix and the creative team behind Senior Year, so it’s not all good news for the company. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie presently has a 29 percent rating, which isn’t the lowest Netflix rating we’ve seen so far this year. Only a handful of days have ever achieved zero percent, but this one was no exception. With such low ratings, Senior Year is unlikely to be included in many lists of the top Netflix movies in the near future.

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No one is holding back their opinions, either. This Netflix teen comedy is more like Easy D-, according to Verne Gay of Newsday, who called it “a difficult film to conceive more miserable than Senior Year.”

Critics were also less than pleased with a choice by the Chicago Sun-Times to feature numerous outlandish dance routines in its review. “Senior Year is not an ambitious movie, but it’s largely a nice one, and frequently hilarious,” Noel Murray of the Los Angeles Times said in the Los Angeles Times.

Senior Year is more popular with Netflix subscribers.

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Netflix members appear to have a more positive opinion of the picture, despite the fact that critics have given it a low rating. Rotten Tomatoes’ 61 percent audience rating contrasts starkly with the film’s rotten critic rating. Despite the fact that moviegoers tend to be more forgiving, there is still a significant gap in movie ratings.

You may also find a lot of positive emotion about Senior Year on social media. A moment in which Wilson’s character reenacts the legendary Britney Spears “You Drive Me (Crazy)” music video has been widely praised on Twitter, drawing analogies to millennial comedy like American Pie.

For the second year in a row, Netflix has a No. 1 film that is doing better with the general public than with critics. This isn’t going to be a major issue for the streamer, whose main goal is to retain subscribers rather than achieve critical acclaim. Content that accomplishes both goals is, of course, the ultimate goal.

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Netflix is in desperate need of material that is well-received at the moment. Recently, Netflix has had some tough times due to a drop-off in members for the first time in a decade, as well as confirmation that the streaming service plans to deploy an advertising-supported tier alongside an anti-password-sharing crackdown. Even if nothing else, the upcoming release of Stranger Things season 4 should help calm the rough waters.

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