Gossip Girl star's Netflix crime thriller and all fans say the same thing
Leighton Meester, best known for her role as Blair Waldorf in the popular teen drama Gossip Girl, takes on a starkly different character in the mystery film The Weekend Away.
The Netflix original, adapted from Sarah Alderson's novel and released on the streaming service in 2022, promised much with its idyllic setting of Split, Croatia, and a beloved leading lady.
However, it appears to have missed the mark with audiences. A scathing critique on Rotten Tomatoes read: "Absolutely horrible!
"Poor acting, a simple and too predictable script... The only good moment in this movie is a bird's-eye view of that city in Croatia. Unforgettable waste of time."
Another review expressed disappointment, noting: "This movie had all the elements to tell a good story: a decent cast, an interesting location, and an attractive premise, but it turns out they decided to make everything jumbled and full of loose ends."
In the film, Leighton portrays Beth, a new mother who travels to Croatia for a brief holiday with her lifelong friend Kate, played by Christina Wolfe, reports the Mirror US.
Their trip includes a raucous night out clubbing, during which Kate encourages Beth to consider a one-night stand to alleviate her marital woes.
After their night of revelry, Beth awakens with a hazy recollection of the events, only to discover that Kate has mysteriously disappeared.
After a bit of sleuthing with the aid of their obliging taxi driver from the previous evening, Ziad Bakri's character Beth discovers that the two chaps they spent the night with were actually hired escorts and cunning con artists.
Beth's friend had engaged the duo for some light-hearted fun, unbeknownst to her of the gents' clandestine criminal past. The duplicitous pair masquerade as respectable businessmen to sedate and rob their unsuspecting female clientele.
The film's intriguing plot received praise from several viewers, with one fan commenting: "This is a great thriller with twists and turns that bring plenty of surprises. Leighton Meester shines, as does Croatia."
Another enthusiast remarked: "It's a fantastic, fast-paced suspense thriller. Must-watch movie.
"Lead roles-specifically Leighton Meester-are excellent." When it premiered, courtesy of its star actress, the movie piqued enough curiosity to amass almost 80 million hours of viewing.
However, consensus suggests that The Weekend Away might not entirely fulfil viewer expectations. A critique reads: "Decent acting from the main lady, but otherwise pretty average and not a particularly thrilling thriller."
Moreover, one audience member expressed that the movie suffered from "strange pacing," and characters who "lacked depth." Form your own opinion on whether this film meets the criteria of the thriller genre by watching The Weekend Away with Leighton Meester on Netflix today.
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