Today is a fantastic day to be a Netflix subscriber, as the service has just added its first big content drop of the year. Included in the latest additions are such huge hits as the classic comedy Superbad, renowned mob pic The Departed, and the beloved drama What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. But for fans of one incredibly well known actor, there’s not one but two of his flicks joining the platform today, and one of them is an often overlooked supernatural effort from 2003.
Indeed, while Robert Downey Jr. also has his 2009 action comedy Sherlock Holmes on Netflix now, you might be surprised to see him in the thriller Gothika, too. This trippy flick follows psychiatrist Miranda Grey (Halle Berry) after she wakes up in a hospital a short while after nearly hitting a young girl with her car. She’s accused of killing her husband, but she has no recollection of anything after the aforementioned incident, forcing her to piece things together as she attempts to escape the asylum where she awoke.
Downey Jr. plays Miranda’s peer, Pete Graham, who cares for her in the hospital, but though he and Berry’s performances were praised, it wasn’t enough to save the film from the scorn of critics. At a measly 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, Gothika is considered to be a frustrating movie due to its dialogue and bonkers narrative, though there was some appreciation given for its stylish direction.
It might not be the best pic you can find on Netflix, then, but Gothika may provide you with an enjoyable and creepy evening if you can overlook its faults. If not, however, you can swing over here and check out everything else that the streaming giant is adding this month, or you can simply watch Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes instead.