Netflix Users Are Loving Tom Hanks’ New Movie

Tom Hanks is a rare actor who can convince people to watch his latest movie just because he’s in it, even if they don’t know anything about the plot. The 64 year-old is one of the most reliable names in the business, who almost never gives a performance that’s anything less than eminently watchable, so when his latest effort hit Netflix, it was always guaranteed to post a good showing.

Paul Greengrass’ Western News of the World was finally added to the library on Wednesday, three months since the streaming service first picked up the exclusive international distribution rights and almost seven weeks after it first premiered on the big screen domestically. The prestige drama performed poorly at the box office even by the current standards, but with a relatively modest $38 million budget and the benefit of Netflix shelling out what’s not going to be a nominal fee, the project has more than likely already turned a profit.

Unsurprisingly, Hanks is as magnetic as ever in the lead role of Captain Jefferson Kidd, who stumbles across a young German girl raised by Native Americans, before he becomes tasked with returning her safely to her family. There isn’t much in the way of twists and turns, but as a defiantly old school epic, News of the World definitely delivers the goods.

It took less than 24 hours for the movie to crack the Top 10 most-watched list on Netflix, and subscribers seem to be enjoying it quite a bit, as you can see from the reactions below.

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After his starring role in World War II drama Greyhound and cameo in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, News of the World marks Tom Hanks‘ third major hit on streaming in less than a year, which is certainly a surprising turn of events for someone who fully supports the theatrical experience.