When both movie critics and general audiences love a film, that’s a great sign. It’s even better when they give it exceptionally high ratings – 97% from critics and 94% from viewers, in this case. This hidden gem, which many feel deserved more attention than The Social Network, is now available on Netflix after being added a few days ago.
Released in 2023, BlackBerry is a sharply funny and dramatic film that feels like a wild, tech-fueled dream. Featuring excellent performances from Jay Baruchel (known from How to Train Your Dragon) and Glen Howerton (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), the movie tells the story of Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, the creators of the first popular smartphone, BlackBerry. It explores both the company’s success and its eventual failure, offering a cynical but fascinating look at the early days of Silicon Valley and the people who drove the tech revolution that changed everything.
BlackBerry Deserved Way More Hype Than it Got
You’ll likely find yourself searching the internet for the real-life stories of the people depicted in this film. Despite being about the rise and fall of a smartphone, BlackBerry is surprisingly engaging. Glenn Howerton delivers a particularly strong, intense, and chaotic performance that really drives the movie. As critic Marya E. Gates points out, the film’s humor comes from director Matt Johnson’s clever use of visual techniques – ironic zooms and well-timed cuts – which perfectly complement Howerton’s excellent acting.
As a critic, I was really struck by how much this film resonated with general audiences. It’s clear the ‘underdog nerds taking on the corporate machine’ angle really grabbed people. I read a lot of comments, and one viewer perfectly summed it up: it starts as a hilarious comedy and unexpectedly shifts into a genuinely moving tragedy – a tonal balancing act rarely pulled off so well. Another viewer called it a ‘hidden gem,’ praising the strong performances and production quality, and wondered why it hadn’t gotten more buzz. They gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars, only wishing the filmmakers had expanded on the story with a longer runtime. It’s a sentiment I’m starting to share – this one deserves a wider audience.
Overall, BlackBerry is a surprisingly entertaining movie from beginning to end. While it takes some liberties with the true story, the strong performances and great chemistry between the actors make it easy to overlook those inaccuracies, delivering a fun and unexpected ride.
Read More
- What Song Is In The New Supergirl Trailer (& What It Means For The DC Movie)
- Dune 3 Gets the Huge Update Fans Have Been Waiting For
- Highly Anticipated Strategy RPG Finally Sets Release Date (And It’s Soon)
- TV legend Carol Kirkwood reveals the reasons why she decided to retire after 28 years with BBC
- Why is Tech Jacket gender-swapped in Invincible season 4 and who voices her?
- The Most Iconic Kids Show of All Time Just Brought Brand New Episodes to Netflix
- After 13 Years, Someone Earned One of the Hardest Achievement Trophies in Gaming
- 50 Years Ago, Star-Lord Made His Bizarre Debut
- Robert Pattinson’s The Batman 2 Suit ‘Evolution’ Gets an Answer From Designers
- Eurogamer Gives ARC Raiders 2/5 Over AI Voices, Dropping Metacritic Score from 94 to 84
2026-03-16 23:10