A critically acclaimed drama is making ‘Waves’ on Netflix

A family tragedy brings this family closer together than ever and makes a big splash on audiences who just can’t get enough.

Waves is a 2019 film released to little fanfare but is enjoying a rebirth in pop culture from streaming on Netflix and YouTube after it was a box office bomb the year it came out. From A24, Waves challenges many perceptions of toxic masculinity and the pressure on young black men growing up.

A helicopter parent father’s attempts to instill confidence and success in his high school-age children backfires, and his son experiences a career-ending injury that tests the family’s resolve. Starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. (12 Years A Slave) as the high school sports prodigy Tyler, Taylor Russell (Lost in Space) as his sister Emily, and their father played by Sterling K. Brown (Black Panther), this is a movie well worth your time.

Trey Edward Shults, who previously directed the 2017 horror flick It Comes At Night, directed the movie. Waves was a hit with critics, who praised the direction and cinematography. Currently sitting on an 84% approval rating from critics and 81% audience score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Waves is an emotionally charged way to kickstart your holidays.

It has surged up the Netflix rankings in the last few weeks, currently up 105 points in the previous week as audiences take the deep dive into the movie. A good father-son dynamic is hard to get right in movies, but Waves does a fantastic job and might just cause a few sweaty eyes.