Netflix’s New Rom-Com Starring a Nickelodeon Favorite Is No. 1 Worldwide

A new Netflix original film starring former Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice has taken the streaming platform by storm. A Perfect Pairing is a romantic comedy starring Justice opposite leading man Adam Demos. After its premiere last week, it became the No. 1 movie on Netflix worldwide.

A Perfect Pairing has been one of Netflix’s most anticipated releases of the year, attracting rom-com fans and fans of Nickelodeon sitcoms of Justice’s era. She had a role on Zoey 101 before taking the lead in her own series, Victorious, from 2010 to 2013. Now in A Perfect Pairing she plays Lola — an executive at an L.A.-based wine company who takes the plunge into small business ownership and clearly finds herself out of place. Thankfully, she finds her way to Max (Demos) who helps her get on the right course.

According to Flix Patrol, A Perfect Pairing had a stellar opening weekend all around the world. After premiering on Thursday, May 19, the movie held spots in the top 10, top 5 and even top 3 movies on Netflix in countries in all four hemispheres around the world. Here in the U.S., it debuted at No. 2 on Netflix and stayed there for its second day before falling back to number 3. It has held that position ever since.

A Perfect Pairing was written by Elizabeth Hackett and Hilary Galanoy, then directed by Stuart McDonald. In addition to Justice and Demos, it stars Luca Sardelis, Samantha Cain, Craig Horner, Antonio Alvarez, Lucy Durack, Emily Havea, Natalie Abbott, Jayden Popik, Alex Neal and Callan Knight, among others. While it has certainly attracted plenty of views in its short time on Netflix, it has not been universally beloved by its viewers.

The new rom-com has 67 percent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, accounting for just 6 reviews by professional critics so far. Surprisingly, the audience score is even lower at 48 percent. That’s based on input from over 50 viewers who chimed in to register their opinions. In general, critics and viewers alike seem to be saying that the movie is predictable and formulaic, but not really impeachable in any major way.

For many fans, the movie succeeds simply by putting Justice back in the spotlight. The actress has had plenty of big roles since aging out of Nickelodeon, but not all in the avenues you might expect. Because Netflix has become such a ubiquitous part of the entertainment industry, it remains a clear marker of success that just about everyone can recognize. A Perfect Pairing is streaming now on Netflix.