There's often a little divide between audiences and critics when it comes to new Netflix movies, but four years ago the streaming service released a film which is remembered as its most controversial... and in a few days, the film will be wiped from the platform.
This movie is Cuties, which was released on the streaming service in late 2020. It's being removed from Netflix's library on Monday, September 9, four years to the day since it was added, so your last day to see it will be Sunday, September 8.
A French movie that was produced by a local production company but released internationally by Netflix, Cuties is about a young Muslim girl who joins a local twerking dance crew, which represents a conflict between her traditional upbringing and the internet-filled modern world.
Cuties was fairly respected during its film festival run, picking up a few prestigious awards and nominations, and it currently has a glowing 86% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, when the movie was added to Netflix, it kicked off an absolute scandal which reached its way into the political world. Many viewers criticized the movie's subject matter and the way it handles delicate subjects, suggesting that it exhibited the very issues it was trying to address. It has a 14% audience score at the time of writing, and you can read the audience reviews for a range of strong opinions on the movie.
Netflix itself issued an apology for "the inappropriate artwork" that it used to promote the movie, which showed scantily-clad children posing, but it defended the movie itself as a social commentary.
The movie was banned in some countries including Turkey. A Variety report noted that the movie's release led to a spike in people canceling Netflix and petitions to ban the film exceeded half a million signatures.
In the US, many politicians issued statements condemning the movie like Tulsi Gabbard and Mike Lee, and Netflix itself was taken to court in Texas , though the lawsuit was eventually dismissed. According to the Guardian, the backlash against the movie came from both sides of the political spectrum, a pretty rare case when it comes to movie controversies!
The removal of Cuties from Netflix is unlikely to be due to its controversy, given that people have largely forgotten about it now. Instead, it's likely that Netflix licensed the movie from its production company for a limited time, which is now expired.
So does Cuties have artistic merit or is it an exploitation movie? You'll have to decide that for yourself, and you have a few more days to do so before it leaves Netflix. If you're in any doubt as to whether you'll like the subject matter, though, bear in mind that there are plenty more Netflix movies that you might enjoy more.
