10 of the best and 10 of the worst Netflix original movies that came out in 2023

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Summary: In the throwback thriller, Fontaine (John Boyega), Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris), and Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx) get embroiled in a government conspiracy after they realize agents are conducting experiments on them and everyone in their community.

Critics loved "They Cloned Tyrone" for its clever script and impressive acting performances.

"Wildly funny, 'They Cloned Tyrone's' satirical unpacking of the Black community's cornerstones — food, music and religion — thrillingly tackles the uncomfortable idea that outsiders gain more from these institutions than the Black community itself," Whelan Barzey wrote for Time Out.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Summary: Disgraced knight-to-be Ballister Blackheart (voiced by Riz Ahmed) questions everything when the shape-shifting teen (voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz) he's sworn to destroy becomes an unexpected ally.

Critics were blown away by the film's thoughtful storytelling, rich animation, and exceptional world-building.

"What could have been a generic piece of standard Netflix fare in less skillful hands ends up being a nuanced story of belonging that's slightly less cliche-ridden than you might expect," Christian Zilko wrote for IndieWire.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Summary: Best friends Stacy (Sunny Sandler) and Lydia (Samantha Lorraine) watch their friendship unravel as middle-school drama gets in the way of their dream bat mitzvahs.

The comedic teen drama served as a spotlight for Adam Sandler's daughter in her first major acting performance, which was praised by critics.

"Adam Sandler's daughter Sunny — the clear belle of the ball — quickly dampens the 'nepo baby' asides with her winning, natural performance in a familiar but very nicely done coming-of-age story," Brian Lowry wrote for CNN.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Summary: A bloodied Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) recuperates from his brush with death in Bangladesh to take on a new, dangerous rescue mission.

Critics agreed that the action sequel was a surefire hit for any fan of the original.

"What counts in an action film is the action, and former stuntman-turned-director Sam Hargrave more than delivers on that promise," Randy Myers wrote for The Mercury News.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Summary: In the Australian drama based on a true story, Jessica Watson (Teagan Croft) pursues her dream of becoming the youngest person to sail solo around the world.

Despite a smattering of cheesy moments, "True Spirit" took most critics by surprise with its heartwarming story.

"'True Spirit' makes freedom on the high seas look like fun, a far cry from staring at a screen in your bedroom, waiting for your life to begin," Stephanie Zacharek wrote for Time.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%

Summary: After landing her dream job, Jenna (Gabrielle Union) is caught between staying professional and following her heart when she realizes she's fallen in love with her boss's son (Keith Powers).

Although "The Perfect Find" was far from perfect in critics' eyes, it still had its fair share of entertaining moments.

"A predictable rom-com, but it was the smaller moments that made it for me," Claudia Puig wrote for Film Week.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

Summary: In the film continuation of Netflix's "Luther," Detective John Luther (Idris Elba) breaks free from prison to join the hunt for London's most dangerous killer.

Although "Luther: The Fallen Sun'' felt more like an overlong episode than a full-fledged movie to some critics, the lead performances still delivered.

"Despite this film's faults, there is enough to admire here to make longtime fans and newcomers wonder where Luther will turn up next," Lee Zumpe wrote for Tampa Bay Newspapers.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

Summary: When 13-year-old Alex (Evan Whitten) flies to Mexico to meet his extended family, he befriends a baby chupacabra. Stakes rise as scientist Richard Quinn (Christian Slater) sets out to hunt down the magical creature.

Although it wasn't necessarily groundbreaking, "Chupa" was praised as an endearing and family-friendly adventure flick.

"'Chupa' is very well put together, nicely filmed and performed, pays homage to Spielberg early and often — and will engross the children on the couch for 95 minutes, no worries at all," Graeme Tuckett wrote for Stuff.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

Summary: Travel executive Amanda (Rachael Leigh Cook) brushes herself off after a breakup and takes an assignment to travel through Vietnam, where she makes an unexpected connection with her tour guide, Sinh (Scott Ly).

"A Tourist's Guide to Love" had more admirers than critics.

"'A Tourist's Guide to Love' respects its characters, its audience, and its cultural depictions with more tact and nobility than the norm, giving us a refreshing and relaxing PG-rated romantic drama," Don Shanahan wrote for Film Obsessive.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

Summary: After a disturbing murder takes place at West Point military academy in the early 1800s, Detective Augustus Landor (Christian Bale) recruits young Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling) to help with his investigation.

On a storytelling level, it didn't quite meet expectations. But stylistically, the drama delivered for critics in spades.

"Beautifully shot and competently acted, 'The Pale Blue Eye' is worth a watch from the comfort of your own home," Rebecca Johnson wrote for Film Focus Online. "However, despite its best effort, it may not intrigue and entertain as much as it wants to."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 54%

Summary: Socialite Neve (Ashley Madekwe) fears that the reputation she built in her high-class community is at risk when her past comes back to haunt her.

Despite presenting a premise teeming with promise, "The Strays" lacked the depth many critics were hoping for.

"The Strays' sets up an intriguing examination of race, privilege and the difficulty of social mobility for Black Britons but ... ultimately bails," Adrian Horton wrote for The Guardian.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 45%

Summary: In the sequel to "Murder Mystery" (2019), Nick (Sandler) and Audrey Spitz (Jennifer Aniston), no working as full-time detectives, are put to the ultimate test when their friend Vikram (Adeel Akhtar) is abducted.

The likable cast kept some critics entertained. But most critics agreed there are better streaming options in the same genre.

"The playful patter between Sandler and Aniston makes it go down easily. It ain't much, but at least it's something," Adam Graham wrote for The Detroit News.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 43%

Summary: A secret military operative named Mother (Jennifer Lopez) tries to protect her daughter from harm as the biological father and international arms dealer Adrian Lovell (Joseph Fiennes) hunts them down.

Despite Lopez's best efforts, "The Mother" was reviewed as a forgettable action flick.

"Lopez is fit enough to handle the action scenes, but she just can't sell the ruthlessness of the character," Ruth Maramis wrote for FlixChatter Film Blog. "Apparently, it took no less than three writers to come up with this clichéd drivel."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 42%

Summary: After moving into a new house with his family, Kevin Presley (Jahi Winston) finds a ghost (David Harbour) living in his attic who needs help with unfinished business.

Director Christopher Landon experienced critical success with his previous films "Happy Death Day" (2017) and "Freaky" (2020). But his latest movie seemed to miss the mark.

"'We Have a Ghost' is a desperate mix of feel-good sentimentality, watered-down surreality, and comedy as transparent in its hackiness as the film's title spook," Barry Hertz wrote for The Globe and Mail.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 41%

Summary: Based on a true story, "Dog Gone" follows John (Rob Lowe) and his son, Fielding (Johnny Berchtold), as they look for their missing dog on the Appalachian Trail.

The movie proved too saccharine-sweet for a majority of critics, especially the ones who pointed out how it took major liberties with its inspiration.

"Perhaps most frustrating about 'Dog Gone's' unabashed gushiness is that it's dishonest to the story it's based on," Aurora Amidon wrote for Paste magazine.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 40%

Summary: Despite their different racial and religious backgrounds, Ezra Cohen (Jonah Hill) and Amira Mohammed (Lauren London) fall head over heels in love. But their road to marriage gets rocky when their families get involved.

"You People" was largely regarded as an aimless comedy that barely poked the surface of its subject matter.

"While their take on interracial relationships in the 21st century seems aimed at young-adult viewers, it will likely instead land with their parents and grandparents," Ronda Racha Penrice wrote for TheWrap.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%

Summary: Based on a novel by Katherine Center, "Happiness for Beginners" finds recently divorced Helen (Ellie Kemper) on a group hiking trip with her brother's best friend, Jake (Luke Grimes). Although they butt heads on the trail, the two soon realize they have more in common than they thought.

At its core, "Happiness for Beginners" had the potential to be a great romantic comedy. But critics agreed it suffered from an overstuffed plot.

"There's certainly a warm spirit this film wants to impart, but it can't help but trip over itself trying to do too many things," Aaron Neuwirth wrote for We Live Entertainment.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 30%

Summary: Longtime friends Debbie (Reese Witherspoon) and Peter (Ashton Kutcher) swap lives for a week and find that the change they have been searching for may lie at the heart of their relationship with each other.

"Your Place or Mine" seemed to have all the ingredients for the next great romantic comedy, but critics said it lacked the charm and chemistry needed to make it stand out.

"With a talented cast and director who was behind 'The Devil Wears Prada', 'Your Place or Mine' feels like another wasted attempt to revamp a once popular genre," Jillian Chilingerian wrote for Offscreen.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 30%

Summary: Renowned field agent Rachel Stone (Gal Gadot) is tasked with protecting a predictive AI supercomputer from falling into the wrong hands. But she soon realizes no one can be trusted.

The movie boasted a strong performance from Gadot, but critics largely agreed the plot suffered from a lack of originality.

"The movie's plot is negligible, seemingly stitched from vague bits and bobs of various 'Mission: Impossible' movies," Stephanie Zacharek wrote for Time.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

Summary: Bank manager Owen Browning (Adam DeVine) is over the moon to finally meet his fiancée Parker's (Nina Dobrev) family. But he panics when he discovers they're dangerous criminals.

The movie labeled itself as a comedy, but critics said that laughs in "The Out-Laws" never fully landed.

"Embarrassed laughter isn't the same as the other kind; a cringe isn't the same as a smile," John Anderson wrote for The Wall Street Journal. "And humiliation — of an actor as well as a character — isn't really funny."

This story was originally published on September 17, 2023, and most recently updated on December 22, 2023.