Netflix viewers rush to watch ‘nonsense’ Angelina Jolie movie panned by critics

Netflix viewers haven’t been deterred by critic reviews of an Angelina Jolie movie dubbed a ‘miserable mess’.

Released in 2002, the romantic comedy-drama Life or Something Like It starred the actress as television reporter Lanie Kerrigan, who is on a ‘quest to find meaning in her life’.

After interviewing the self-proclaimed prophet Jack, played by Tony Shalhoub, he tells Lanie she will die in a week.

When Jack’s first two prophecies come true, she becomes convinced she is going to die and eventually finds unlikely support in her archenemy and cameraman Pete Scanlon (Edward Burns).

But after he encourages her to live every moment of her life to the fullest and to do whatever she had always wanted to do, romance blossoms with some bumps along the way.

Despite the movie’s life-affirming premise, it received mostly negative reviews and only made $16.9 million at the box office despite having a budget of $40 million.

The film currently holds a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 121 reviews.

The critics consensus reads: ‘Though Jolie is appealing, Life or Something Like It is too contrived and predictable to convincingly convey its message of stopping to smell the roses.’

In its review, the Sacramento News & Review wrote: ‘Bad movies just don’t come any sadder than Life or Something Like It, a shapeless, miserable mess.’

‘The kind of romance that makes a life of solitude seem attractive. The kind of life-affirming story that makes the prospect of death a little less daunting,’ NUVO News Weekly shared.

‘You may be galled that you’ve wasted nearly two hours of your own precious life with this silly little puddle of a movie,’ The Boston Globe added

Angelina’s performance in the film also earned her a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for worst actress.

Despite this, viewers have rushed to watch the movie since it was released on Netflix UK this week, where it’s currently the fifth most-watched movie.

Over the years many have shared their thoughts on the film, with reviews far less brutal.

‘Although it is not gonna change anyone’s life, is a good movie for a Saturday afternoon,’ Anne shared on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘Very palatable light romantic fare. More watchable than I expected,’ Aye added.

‘I love a good romance. And this interesting story line kept me hooked until the end,’ another added.

This film marked the first time Angelina had ever acted in a comedy. In an interview with Style, she explained why she had wanted to take on such an unexpected role.

They were that she wanted to prove she could make people laugh, that she ‘liked the message’ of the movie, and that the character was her polar opposite.

‘Lanie’s everything that I hate. She’s very false in many ways, but when things go wrong, instead of retreating, she just gets more determined in the gym, more flamboyant and a little more like “I’m fabulous”. But her life is a wreck. She’s rude, condescending, and awful. Hopefully, you’ll love to hate her.’

Although this film flopped, Angelina has had a storied career, during which she’s won two Academy Awards, a Tony Award and three Golden Globe Awards.

First making her screen debut as a child alongside her father, Jon Voight, in Lookin’ to Get Out in 1982, a decade later she appeared in Cyborg 2, followed by her first leading role in 1995’s Hackers.

She won an Oscar for best supporting actress for the 1999 drama Girl, Interrupted, going on to appear in other films including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Salt, A Mighty Heart, Changeling and, most recently, Maria.

She also wrote and directed the war dramas In the Land of Blood and Honey, Unbroken, First They Killed My Father and Without Blood.

Life or Something Like It is streaming on Netflix.

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