The 2021 Matt Damon Flop Getting A Second Life On Netflix

At any given time, Netflix's top 10 movies are typically filled with the streaming service's original films and theatrical releases making their way to the platform. The rankings for the week of January 15-21 certainly have those common threads, with Netflix's "Lift," starring Kevin Hart, reaching the top of the charts. However, there are also older movies getting a second life on the streamer, such as the 2021 Matt Damon film, "Stillwater," which is #4 on the list.

"Stillwater" is a fictional story, but it borrows elements of the real-life case involving Amanda Knox, who was imprisoned for four years on the belief she murdered her roommate. However, she was ultimately acquitted and exonerated from the crime. "Stillwater" sees Abigail Breslin play the Knox figure, Allison Baker, who's also imprisoned for killing her roommate, even though she maintains her innocence. Matt Damon plays her father, Bill Baker, who investigates the case to try to free her.

The movie didn't make much of an impression when it came out in 2021. It grossed just under $20 million at the global box office, but people seem more willing to give it a chance now. Matt Damon's presence and connection to a controversial case may draw eyeballs to Netflix, but not everyone will be pleased with the resurgence of "Stillwater."

Despite low box office numbers, "Stillwater" did reasonably well with critics. Looper's review of "Stillwater" mentions several positive attributes, including its inability to be nailed down to simple pretenses. "What really elevates 'Stillwater' is that, much like the character of Bill, every time you think you've got a handle on things the unfolding story shifts," wrote Larry Carroll. One person who isn't singing the movie's praises is Amanda Knox herself, who takes issue with how "Stillwater" presents Allison Baker.

Knox posted a lengthy thread on X, formerly known as Twitter, denouncing the film, partly due to the filmmakers profiting off her case and not even consulting her. "Stillwater" may be fictional, but many mentioned Knox and the case when discussing the movie. Knox wrote, "By fictionalizing away my innocence, my total lack of involvement, by erasing the role of the authorities in my wrongful conviction, [director Tom] McCarthy reinforces an image of me as a guilty and untrustworthy person." 

This appears to be connected to the ending of "Stillwater." Without getting into spoilers, the finale complicates what really happened with the murder. Understandably, Knox wouldn't want her case to be portrayed with shades of gray when she fought so hard to clear her name. People watching "Stillwater" on Netflix should remember that while the film draws from the Knox story, it's entirely separate and fictional.