The top 10 charts onNetflixcan be an interesting gauge of what audiences are watching, and sometimes movies and TV series that flew under the radar or were met with initial mixed reactions manage to flourish on the popular streaming platform. International cinema, in particular, has found a welcome home on Netflix. From the recent success of the French shark/disaster flickUnder Paristo the early Netflix Spanish hitThe Platform, streaming gives movies otherwise overlooked a chance to shine.
Recently popping into the top 10 charts is a Spanish comedy calledNon Negotiable, a movie with little buzz prior and not much discourse online. We will look at how the action comedy that mixes elements of romance and drama has managed to work its way into the top 10, and how it made it there while overcoming familiar tropes and clichés.
Non Negotiable Is a Unique Netflix Original
A highly skilled hostage negotiator, Alan, may be able to talk his way through dangerous situations, buthis marriage is strugglingunder the pressures of his highly demanding job. When the president of Mexico is abducted by a man who had worked with Alan, taking his wife hostage at the same time,the negotiator must figure out a way to save the country from scandal and his wife from leaving him.
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Non Negotiablestars Mauricio Ochmann as Alan and Tato Alexander as his wife. Ochmann, while born in Washington, D.C., would move to Mexico City in his teens, where he had an instant knack for performing. He has seen great success on TV, appearing in over 100 episodes in shows likeMarina,Victorinos, andEl Sexo Débil. Tato Alexander comes off a performance in the gritty-crime movieEl Jardin aka: Narco Killer. The cast is rounded out by veterans of Spanish TV and film, including Fernanda Borches, Leonardo Ortizgris, Claudette Maillé, and Daniel Garcia.
Juan Taratuto returned from almost a decade-long absence in the director’s seat forNon Negotiable, with his prior work being the 2016 quirkyinternational rom-comfilmI Married a Dumba**. The Netflix original was written by Julieta Steinberg, Daniel Cúparo, and Marcelo Birmajer, all of whom bring their experience in Spanish TV drama (Telenovelas) to imbue the script with charm and dramatic flair. The movie marks the debut on Netflix for many involved in the production, andNon Negotiablejoins the growing line-up of Spanish language movies likeI’m No Longer HereandPrayers for the Stolen.
Non Negotiable Climbed Netflix Charts Despite Mixed Reviews
Tarotgets lambasted by critics and is eaten up by the Netflix audience;Find Me Fallingis called a dull and outdated romance by many critics but sweeps audiences off their feet; a box office bomb from a fan-favorite director inThe Man From U.N.C.L.E.climbs upthe Netflix charts despite being told to stay away through mostly negative reviews. Do you see a pattern?There are various reasons for this modern disconnect between critics and audiences. Still, it should be noted thatNon Negotiablehas been met with valid critiques and the reasons for the early negative feedback, but its subsequent success is different from the movies mentioned above.
With only a handful of reviews filtering in forNon Negotiable, Daniel Hart ofReady Steady Cutgives a fair review of the film, summarizing the comedy as “The jokes are not complex or imaginative… But at the same time, it’s serious too. Movies that cannot find a fine line between comedy and drama in a way that assumes logic are infuriating at the best of times.” At the same time, he would go on to summarize much of why the film is still finding its way to viewers stating: “if you require a 90-minute, easy-to-watch action comedy, then I suppose this passes the bar.”
How Non Negotiable Has Overcome Tropes and Clichés to Climb the Netflix Charts
The truth is that there is not much online buzz for the film, andits rise in the Netflix Charts is not so cut and dry. To speak to the movie’s strengths, the film is a light watch with some flair and is a pretty relaxed watch to get through; the tight under90-minute runtime certainly helps the comedy. The dynamics and performances between Mauricio Ochmann and Tato Alexander are relatable and charming, even in the face of chaos and uncertainty. The movie is full of clichés and tropes you would expect of an action comedy with a dramatic flair, but it exists in comfortable territory, never becoming a painful parody or taking itself too seriously to lose its comedic charms.
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The positive elements makeNon Negotiablean approachable, easy indulgence with enough charm to make it up the charts, but the lack of online buzz or discussions points to a more significant factor. The success can be equally attributed to its audience, with Mauricio Ochmann, a beloved actor and popular face in the world of telenovelas. Telenovelas primarily draw Spanish-speaking viewers and have a rabid fan base, with manygreat telenovelas already landing on Netflix. This audience has certainly helpedNon Negotiablebecome a Netflix sleeper hit.
Non Negotiableshows that Netflix’s continued investment in international entertainment is paying off. While a film can be met with middling reviews and valid critiques, a strong cast and a solid enough storyline that touches on common tropes but is not defined by them has certainly proven to be a winning formula for the Netflix original.you’re able to streamNon NegotiableonNetflixnow.
