“Unsettling” new Julia Roberts Netflix movie is a Rotten Tomatoes hit

❘ Published: 2023-12-07T11:40:31

Mahershala Ali in Leave the World Behind

JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX

Julia Roberts’ new movie Leave the World Behind hits Netflix on December 8, with critics calling it “unsettling.”

The Pretty Woman and Erin Brockovich actress is trading real-life problems for post-life problems as she stars in the apocalyptic drama Leave the World Behind.

The movie’s official synopsis reads “A family vacation on Long Island is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a blackout. As the threat grows, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world.”

With Leave the World Behind streaming on Netflix later this week, critics have already praised the “unsettling” movie for its take on what could be to come.

Julia Roberts Netflix movie Leave the World Behind hits Rotten Tomatoes

New Julia Roberts movie Leave the World Behind is already a Rotten Tomatoes hit in the days before it hits Netflix, being dubbed by critics as “unsettling.”

The movie currently has a certified fresh score of 79% on the Tomatometer, with an audience score of 86% after its limited theatrical run in November.

Randy Myers of the San Jose Mercury News wrote: “It’s an unsettling, well-acted experience with layers and cautionary warnings to spare,” with Richard Lawson from Vanity Fair agreeing: “Sam Esmail’s film is a dreary, harrowing sit — and all the more invigorating for it.”

David Fear at Rolling Stone also thought positively of Leave the World Behind, adding: “The seeds of our destruction have already been planted by us… And the more that Leave the World Behind pokes at that notion, the more you fear that this isn’t a thriller. It could be a documentary with movie stars.”

YouTuber Peri Nemiroff stated: “A perfectly cast film that doesn’t skip a beat. Leave the World Behind offers a stellar mix of thrills, unsettling ideas, and pitch-perfect laughs that amount to a wildly riveting watch, one that will weigh heavily on minds after the credits.”

However, not all critics looked too kindly on Julia Roberts and the rest of the Leave the World Behind cast.

Dylan Roth of The Observer said: “Leave the World Behind is a dumb movie disguised as a smart movie, a middling thriller whose decorated cast and tricky camerawork can’t compensate for its undercooked, overwritten script.”

Robert Daniels from RogerEbert.com added: “Leave the World Behind struggles where it matters most, fashioning real stakes to accompany the turmoil.”

Leave the World Behind arrives on Netflix on December 8. You can find out more about its cast here, and in the meantime, check out more of our Netflix coverage below: