An unsung legal thriller cracks the Netflix Top 10 out of nowhere

For a number of reasons, one of the most consistently watchable genres if done correctly is the legal thriller, because there are plenty of expected tropes that can be made to stand out if they’re approached in a unique way.

Part of that appeal is down to the familiarity, but the twists and turns can often leave you guessing right up until the final act. It also provides ample opportunity for powerhouse performances, grandstanding monologues and plenty more besides, which may be why 2007’s largely forgotten Fracture has rocketed up the Netflix most-watched list.

As per FlixPatrol, the movie has jumped 37 places since yesterday, a turn of events that nobody could have predicted. Ryan Gosling’s fast-rising prosecutor gets handed one final case before he takes a new job, and it looks like an easy win in court after Anthony Hopkins’ Ted Crawford shot his wife in the head.

However, the defendant has plenty of tricks up his sleeve, leading to a gripping cat-and-mouse game. Fracture drew a solid 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes and earned $92 million at the box office on a $10 million budget when it was first released, but it’s long since become an overlooked and unsung entry into an over-saturated genre, although Netflix subscribers are clearly seeking to rectify that.