The Weekend Away, a thriller movie starring OG Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester, premiered on Netflix this Thursday. Since then, it feels as though everyone who's watched it wants to share their verdict.
Directed by Kim Farrant and based on a novel by Sarah Alderson, the film follows Meester's character Beth, a new mum, as she travels to Croatia for a weekend getaway. Her travel companion is best friend Kate (Christina Wolfe), who is super-glamorous and newly divorced. But when Kate goes missing, it falls on Beth to find out what has happened to her.
If you're thinking it sounds like a proper potboiler – one you'll want to take with a hefty pinch of salt – you're absolutely right. Discussing what drew her to the project, her first movie role in three years, Meester told Elle: "I thought it was a really interesting perspective to tell the story: someone who’s going through motherhood for the first time, who’s rediscovering herself and finding herself.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
"And, of course, going through the out-of-this-world, unbelievably dramatic and tragic suspense—that stuff was also incredibly appealing to me, because I thought it read really exciting and fun on the page."
Among viewers, The Weekend Away is definitely splitting opinion, with verdicts ranging from "wild" and "interesting" to "so freaking predictable".
One person tweeted: "Even Blair Waldorf couldn't save The Weekend Away." Savage. Still, there's no doubting that the film has found an audience: it's currently in the top five on UK Netflix.
Check out a selection of reactions below.
The Weekend Away is so freaking predictable...or maybe I just watch way too many thrillers and can tell you their stories in my sleep.
— AffyGato (@duabanjaa) March 5, 2022
I’m watching The Weekend Away on Netflix. It’s actually a crime how bad their content has gotten. pic.twitter.com/CiD3xF4hZc
— Sylvie (thee water bender) 🥶🇬🇭🇬🇧 (@TheeSylvie) March 5, 2022
Watched quite an interesting movie on Netflix earlier today, titled ‘The weekend away’. So many plot twists, loved it.
— Nandz🖤♋️ (@NandiphaKay) March 5, 2022
The Weekend Away is wild.
— Fat Belly ‘Nenye (@The_Nenye) March 6, 2022
Won’t stop me from visiting Croatia sha.
even blair waldorf couldnt save the weekend away pic.twitter.com/j9JtUkx3Ns
— k 🌸 (@honeykesi) March 6, 2022
the weekend away is the definition of a cliché plot for a murder mystery movie
— celestialbunny (@uhh_fab_bish) March 6, 2022
There is one thing that everyone who's seen The Weekend Away seems able to agree on is – namely, that the Croatian scenery is absolutely stunning. (According to IMDb, the film was shot in Zagreb and Split). You can check out the trailer below.