Kevin Hart’s movie Night School, which didn’t receive great reviews from critics or audiences, is finding unexpected success on Netflix. The 2018 comedy, featuring Hart alongside Tiffany Haddish, has risen to the #4 spot in Netflix’s top five movies.
While Night School is popular now, it is still behind The Emoji Movie, which recently reached the #1 position, and the Tom Cruise sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. The movie also stars Rob Riggle, Romany Malco, Taran Killam, and Megalyn Echikunwoke. It holds a 27% critic score and a 38% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Directed by Malcolm E. Lee, who also directed Space Jam: A New Legacy and episodes of The Best Man: The Final Chapters and Harlem, Night School was co-written by Hart and several others including Harry Ratchford, Joey Wells, Matthew Kellard, Nicholas Stoller, and John Hamburg.
Meanwhile, other popular titles on Netflix include the cult classic White Chicks by Marlon and Shawn Wayans, which narrowly edges out Adam Sandler’s 2002 comedy Mr. Deeds. Inside the Mind of a Dog, a recent Netflix original film, is also among the top three popular movies. For TV shows, The Umbrella Academy leads the charts after its final season, with Fire Country and Prison Break also popular on the platform.
Night School may not have impressed critics upon its release, its recent surge in popularity on Netflix is a testament to the unpredictable nature of streaming audiences. The film’s ability to climb the ranks, despite its mixed reviews, and perhaps, a broader acceptance of comedic fare.
As streaming platforms continue to shape the entertainment industry, it’s clear that audience tastes are evolving, and unexpected hits like Night School are becoming more common.
