This Gut-Wrenching Courtroom Drama Just Reached the Top 10 on Netflix

Netflix has been releasing a string of tense courtroom dramas lately, but this one might be the most heart-wrenching yet.

Monster, based on the 1999 YA novel by Walter Dean Myers, tells the story of Steve Harmon, a 17-year-old Black teenager who loves photography and has a bright future ahead of him, until he finds himself charged with murder and navigating a disheartening legal battle.

Check out the trailer below.

The film was released in 2018 at the Sundance Film Festival and was recently acquired by Netflix. When it was uploaded to the streaming site, the movie quickly jumped into their top ten list.

Monster received positive reviews from critics and has garnered renewed attention since its Netflix release. Gary Goldstein of the L.A. Times said, "Monster is a terrific film: a strong, absorbing, beautifully performed and crafted social drama that, unfortunately, proves even timelier today than when it was shot in 2017." Shawn Edwards of Fox 4 Kansas City called Monster, "A gut-wrenching drama, though not an easy watch...it has a blistering power that strikes a nerve."

The role of Steve Harmon is played by Kelvin Harrison Jr., who first gained recognition for playing Travis in the 2017 horror flick It Comes at Night . Harrison Jr. is joined by a star-studded cast, including Jennifer Hudson, Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Ehle, Tim Blake Nelson, and rapper A$AP Rocky.

Monster was directed by Anthony Mandler, with a screenplay by Radha Blank, Cole Wiley and Janece Shaffer. Production was handled by Tonya Lewis Lee, Nikki Silver, Aaron L. Gilbert, Mike Jackson and Edward Tyler Nahem.

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