Actor Laura Dern has quite an impressive acting career that spans over four decades. Hailing from a family with a strong acting pedigree, she made her feature film debut starring alongside Jodie Foster in the 1980 coming-of-age drama Foxes, before rising to prominence with appearances in the movies Mask, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart. She rose to global attention with a starring role in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 blockbuster Jurᴀssic Park, considered one of Dern’s best movies, and she reprised her role in the recent Jurᴀssic World sequels.

With a string of studio and independent films, Dern received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a divorce lawyer in Marriage Story. She has also thrived in the television sphere, starring in the mystery drama Big Little Lies, and Twin Peaks: The Return, the former of which earned her a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe. Most recently, Dern starred in the romantic drama Lonely Planet on Netflix, but it’s one of her earlier movies that is enjoying unexpected success on streaming.

Trial By Fire Is Performing Admirably On Netflix

The Movie Seems To Have Captured Audience Interest

Trial by Fire debuted on the Netflix charts seven years after it was released in theaters. Directed by Edward Zwick, the 2018 movie is based on the case Willingham v. State of Texas, and Dern plays the role of sympathetic playwright Elizabeth Gilbert. It’s a heart-wrenching drama following a Texas man tried and convicted for the death of his children in a fire, while someone is sympathetic to his cause. The film received a limited release in 2018, earning just $148,504 at the box office.

Per Netflix Tudum, Trial by Fire debuted at no. 7 on the streamer’s Global Top 10 Movies list, with 4.7 million views, and 9.4 million hours viewed. The movie ranks above Kinda Pregnant at no. 8, Back in Action at no. 9, and Despicable Me at no. 10. It also ranks at no. 2 on the Netflix Top 10 Movies in the United States for this week.

Our Verdict On What Has Made Trial By Fire A Netflix Hit

The Fact The Movie Is Based On A True Story Could Have Resonated With Audiences

Trial By Fire could perhaps be considered an unexpected streaming hit, but the fact that the movie is based on a real case might have helped it resonate with audiences. This would also explain why it has been so successful in the United States. Streaming platforms also allow viewers to watch movies they wouldn’t typically choose to see, and this can help movies like Trial By Fire, which failed to find a theatrical audience and helps to showcase the diverse range of actors like Dern.

Source: Netflix Tudum