Rosario Monachino
Netflix viewers are taking to social media to say a ‘horrifying’ film starring Mila Kunis needs a clear trigger warning.
The streaming platform, which has thousands of movies and TV shows, is estimated to have over 260 million subscribers.
In some of its content, viewers may notice that a trigger warning will flash to warn viewers of certain depictions, such as military combat or violence.
But for one film, people argue the trigger warning isn’t clear enough.
Discussing the movie and its trigger warning on X, formerly Twitter, one viewer fumed: “It was extremely horrifying for me to watch that and caused a panic attack due to former trauma. DO BETTER AND FIX THIS!!!”
Sarcastically, a second wrote: “Wow. Good job Netflix on the trigger warning you didn’t provide.”
“I was not expecting that… That movie needs a trigger warning!!!” another added.
A fourth person commented: “Needs a WAY BETTER trigger warning.”
“This movie needed a big big big big big huge trigger warning,” somebody else penned. “I don’t know what I was expecting but it was NOT this.”
The mystery thriller film, directed by Mike Barker, stars Kulis, Finn Wittrock, Scoot McNairy, Chiara Aurelia, Justine Lupe, Thomas Barbusca, Jennifer Beals, and Connie Britton.
Its description reads: “A writer’s perfectly crafted New York City life starts to unravel when a true crime documentary forces her to confront her harrowing high school history and question the choices she made as a teenager.”
In the film, which has been rated R for ‘violent content, r***, s**ual material, language throughout, and teen substance use,’ there are depictions of a school shooting and a gang r***.
Netflix’s pre-disclaimer briefly mentions scenes of ‘s**ual violence’ and ‘threat,’ however, critics say this doesn’t prepare viewers for the level of violence the movie includes.
The Luckiest Girl Alive, which is based on Jessica Knoll’s 2015 novel of the same name, has also been criticized by s**ual assault and trauma survivors for its lack of trigger warning.
Ciara Charteris, the co-founder of I Am Arla, an online platform for trauma survivors, said (per The Independent): “I was not prepared at all.
“It goes against the work that I do, not just as a survivor but as a human to be able to make an active choice about whether I’m going to engage in traumatic onscreen incidents or not.”
Jayne Butler, CEO of the charity R*** Crisis, also weighed in, stating: “It is vital that viewers can make an informed choice about watching a film that could impact their health and wellbeing.
“Any representation of s**ual violence in the media, but in particular depictions, can be extremely traumatizing for victims and survivors – many of whom are still coping with the negative impacts of their experience.”
Following the backlash, Knoll, who based the book on her traumas, spoke out in an interview with Variety.
She said: “We’ve done a lot to be sensitive about all of the very sensitive issues that are in the film.
“I am a little surprised by it, honestly, because there’s so much violence against women in a lot of things out there right now. I just don’t see people in an uproar about that. We’ve gone to all these lengths in all these other ways, and I’m happy to do it. I want there to be resources for people. I want people to be prepared going in, so yeah, it’s a little surprising.”
Although the film and its brief trigger warning have been criticized, Luckiest Girl Alive has also been applauded for covering important issues.
Praising the movie, a fan writes: “Outstanding performance by Mila Kunis. A must-watch this one.”
Watch the trailer for Luckiest Girl Alive here…
Luckiest Girl Alive is available to stream on Netflix.
If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship abuse in any form, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline for free, confidential support 24/7/365. Text START to 88788, call 1-800-799-SAFE(7233) or chat online at http://TheHotline.org.
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