Netflix viewers have catapulted the critically maligned crime thriller Midnight in the Switchgrass to the top of the platform’s Top 10 Movies chart, surpassing recent additions like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Friday, and Sicario.
The 2021 film features Bruce Willis as FBI Agent Karl Helter alongside Megan Fox as his partner Rebecca Lombardo. It was among dozens of direct-to-video releases Willis appeared in shortly before retiring due to his aphasia diagnosis in 2022.
Midnight in the Switchgrass follows two FBI agents who encounter a serial killer during an investigation. While set in Florida, the narrative draws inspiration from the true story of Robert Ben Rhoades, known as the Truck Stop Killer, who allegedly murdered more than 50 people between 1975 and 1990.
The cast includes Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild) as Florida Department of Law Enforcement Agent Byron Crawford, Lukas Haas (Inception) as serial killer Peter Hillborough, and musician Colson Baker — better known as Machine Gun Kelly — as a pimp named Calvin. Baker and Fox, who are partners off-screen, both appear in the film.
Critics savaged the film upon release. Midnight in the Switchgrass currently holds an 8% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Midnight in the Switchgrass is the type of crime thriller that’s so full of cliches that it becomes one big cliche itself,” wrote RogerEbert.com.
Slant Magazine noted that “Randall Emmett’s directorial debut is virtually indistinguishable from the scores of cheap VOD action thrillers that he’s produced to date.”
The Hollywood Reporter was equally dismissive: “The movie, which bills itself as a crime-thriller-mystery, doesn’t come close to fulfilling even the lowest of expectations.”
Viewers should note that despite Willis’s prominent placement in marketing materials, the Die Hard star appears on screen for approximately five minutes. The film exemplifies what industry insiders call a “geezer teaser” — a production technique pioneered by director Randall Emmett where aging Hollywood stars are featured prominently on posters and in trailers while having minimal screen time in the actual film.
This marketing strategy appears to be working for the film’s Netflix performance, where casual viewers often select content based on familiar faces rather than critical reception.
