Netflix fans left 'sad' after watching 'incredible' real-life drama that's surging charts

Netflix viewers are absolutely obsessed with the real-life drama BlackBerry as the film rockets up the streaming charts, with fans gushing over their glowing reviews.

BlackBerry is a 2023 biographical comedy-drama that follows the meteoric rise and dramatic downfall of the globe's first text messaging smartphone, earning an impressive 97% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie draws inspiration from the gripping true account Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry, penned by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff.

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Anyone who relished watching The Social Network, which depicts Facebook's accidental birth, would undoubtedly adore this production too.

Beginning in 1997, viewers witness BlackBerry co-creators Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson) and Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel), alongside Glenn Howerton portraying ruthless investor Jim Balsillie, reports the Mirror US.

The synopsis states: "The true story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world's first smartphone, BlackBerry is a whirlwind ride through a ruthlessly competitive Silicon Valley at breakneck speeds."

Since arriving on Netflix just days ago (19 July), fans have flooded social media with overwhelming praise, with some declaring the film left them with "goosebumps" due to its brutal honesty.

On the platform X, one viewer shared their glowing review: "Watching BlackBerry on Netflix gave me goosebumps as I did have some of the greatest QWERTY models, from Bold to Passport with unique BBM to text love.."

Another fan chimed in: "Rewatched BlackBerry (on Netflix, check it out if you missed it at the time) and Glenn Howerton's performance is just as incredible as I remembered. Like putting a bull shark in a living room fishtank. Unbelievable menace and energy boiling off him at every moment."

Others were left feeling nostalgic about the rise and fall of such an iconic product. One comment read: "BlackBerry on Netflix makes me sad how great a phone like that was – and was part of a childhood that allowed us to still feel normal before it all got hectic with smartphones. Great film!"

Not only was BlackBerry a hit with viewers, but it also received rave reviews from critics, boasting an impressive 97% Rotten Tomatoes score. Director Matt Johnson has also been praised for his work on the film.

The star-studded cast includes BlackBerry co-founders Jay Baruchel (Knocked Up, This Is the End, How to Train Your Dragon) and Matt Johnson (The Dirties, Operation Avalanche), with Jim Balsillie played by Glenn Howerton (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Fargo).

Other notable cast members include Rich Sommer, Michael Ironside, Martin Donovan, Michelle Giroux, Sungwon Cho, Mark Critch, Saul Rubinek and Cary Elwes.

BlackBerry is available to stream on Netflix now.