Movies - TV
Critics Didn't Hold Back On Netflix's J. D. Vance Movie Hillbilly Elegy
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
Conservative critics praised J.D. Vance's 2016 book, "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and a Culture in Crisis," for its narrative of rising above challenges.
Most critics pointed to Hillbilly Elegy’s irresponsible messaging, noting that Vance's opinion that poverty is caused by "social rot" isn't based on any economic realities.
Critics also noted that Vance leans rather hard into the racist and false "welfare queen" rhetoric invented by Ronald Reagan back in the '80s.
In 2020, Ron Howard directed a film adaptation of "Hillbilly Elegy." It racked up a 25% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was largely dismissed by audiences.
The reviews are almost as harsh as Vance's opinions on Trump in 2016. Several critics, like the Atlantic’s David Sims, called "Hillbilly Elegy" the worst film of the year.