Netflix Fans Are Unified on Their Take on New Movie Topping the Charts

The latest Netflix original film follows a familiar formula, and it achieves the desired result. I Used to Be Famous premiered on Friday, Sept. 16, and it jumped straight to the number two spot on the Netflix Top 10 List. With so many eyes on it, it’s a bit surprising just how many people are using the same word to describe it – “heartwarming.”

I Used to Be Famous stars Ed Skrein as Vince, a former pop star who is dying to make a comeback. In pursuit of fame, he rediscovers his love for the creative process itself instead thanks to his friendship with an autistic young drummer named Stevie (Leo Long). The story has some heavy emotional beats loaded into it by default, and they hit many viewers hard. On social media and in film reviews, the overwhelming consensus is that this movie is wholesome, sweet and “heartwarming.”

“Ah man. I Used to Be Famous on Netflix was such a heartwarming film,” one fan tweeted. Another wrote: “I Used to Be Famous is a great Netflix movie. The music is beautiful. The story is heartwarming. The acting is superb. I adore this movie. It’s my new favorite,” while a third wrote: “If you’re after a heartwarming British beaut of a film, I Used to Be Famous could be it. Ed Skrein and Leo Long are incredibly watchable.” A fourth tweeted: “Well this was just one of the most heartwarming lil movies I’ve ever seen, fantastic debut for Leo Long, a lil cheesy but super feel-good nonetheless, great music too.”

At the time of this writing, I Used to Be Famous has an 86 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though only seven trusted reviewers have been accounted for. It has over 100 ratings from users who have given it 91 percent positive ratings. In both categories, viewers agree that the movie is predictable and formulaic, but that doesn’t stop it from being heartwarming.

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I Used to Be Famous was directed and co-written by Eddie Sternberg, who shares writing credit with Zak Klein. Sternberg actually wrote and directed this same story as a short film back in 2015, and it was lauded within the British film industry. The short film version starred Naomi Ackie, Tom Bacon, Byron Konizi and Carrie Rock. This adaptation is his first feature-length film. The movie is streaming now on Netflix.