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It’s rare for a new Netflix movie to take me by surprise but that’s what just happened with “Rez Ball”. I foolishly overlooked this sports drama before its release, but now, only a few days after dropping onto the world’s most popular streaming service, it's making a serious play to be named the No. 1 movie on the entire platform.
Released last week (Sept. 27), “Rez Ball” currently ranks No. 3 on Netflix’s ever-rotating most-watched movies list behind only the animated family-flick “The Garfield Movie” and the testing true crime doc “Jailbreak: Love on the Run." But don’t be surprised if it manages to outrank both of them very shortly, as the movie looks to have all the attributes needed to become a true champ of the streaming game.
If you’re looking for something new to watch on Netflix this week, “Rez Ball” has a pretty appealing combination of likable characters, an underdog story and a worthwhile message. Here’s everything you need to know about this feel-good sports drama….
What is ‘Rez Ball’ about?
Produced by LeBron James, and directed by Sydney Freeland, “Rez Ball” centers on the Chuska Warriors, a high school basketball team in Chuska, New Mexico with a roster rich in Native American heritage.
The team dreams of winning the state championship but their odds of success take a major blow when they lose their star player. Now facing an even greater challenge to be crowned champions, they must come together as a team and beat the odds to emerge victorious.
Described by Netflix as “a journey of resilience and unity, a true underdog story deeply rooted in Native American culture and spirit,” the sports drama is based on the novel “Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Reservation” by New York Times journalist Michael Powell.
‘Rez Ball’ reviews — critics love this sports drama
“Rez Ball” hasn’t even been on Netflix for a whole week (at the time of writing), but it's already winning over audiences. Critics also admire this stirring sports drama. The movie holds an impressive 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and its viewer's score is also solid at 86%.
Nicolas Rapold of the New York Times said, “The movie tends to race through actual game play — though the actors at least can handle the ball — and so the film’s strength lies more in the players’ easy rapport and the New Mexico location shooting.” While Variety’s Stephen Saito was impressed at the movie’s ability to make “the enjoyment even broader”, praising "Rez Ball" for appealing to all viewers.
Meanwhile, Jourdain Searles of IndieWire praised the Netflix movie for “Maintaining a feel-good tone without becoming saccharine, 'Rez Ball' is a charmer with enough of an edge to keep viewers on their toes.” and William Bibbiani of TheWrap labeled it “a winner” though did note that it’s “not a total game-changer.”
Stream ‘Rez Ball’ on Netflix right now
“Rez Ball’ is making a strong play to be your next Netflix watch. While its underdog sports story doesn’t appear to be the most original tale, its collection of misfits is easy to root for, and its reflections on the Native American experience elevate the movie beyond being merely another cliche sports movie about a plucky squad trying to win the championship game.
While “Rez Ball” may not have had the pre-release hype enjoyed by some recent Netflix movies like "Rebel Ridge", it’s clearly an original you won’t want to miss, and I’m delighted to see that it’s managed to climb into a podium position in the streamer’s top 10 list. Here’s hoping this spirited squad of ballers can now go a step further and secure the top ranking very soon.
Meanwhile, if you want to know what’s arriving on Netflix in the coming weeks, here’s a guide to everything new on Netflix in October 2024. And don’t miss the Big Red streaming service’s other new original movie that isn’t quite getting the attention it deserves.
Watch "Rez Ball" on Netflix now
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