The Netflix documentary Knock Down the House, which follows the campaigns of female Democratic hopefuls in the 2018 election cycle, and highlights Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), is so far the highest rated film of 2019, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
The documentary, which had its rights purchased by Netflix for a whopping $10 million, has a 100 percent approval rating among Rotten Tomatoes users, eclipsing the likes of Amazing Grace, Apollo 11, and Ash is the Purest White.
Knock Down the House follows the campaigns of female Democratic hopefuls Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Amy Vilela, Cori Bush, and Paula Jean Swearengin as they campaigned for Congress during the 2018 midterm elections.
“At a moment of historic volatility in American politics, these four women decide to fight back, setting themselves on a journey that will change their lives and their country forever,” notes Rotten Tomatoes. “Without political experience or corporate money, they build a movement of insurgent candidates challenging powerful incumbents in Congress. Their efforts result in a legendary upset.”
In February, the film won the coveted audience award at the Sundance Film Festival and a five-minute standing ovation. Ocasio-Cortez, who was the only one of the four women featured to win her election, was not in attendance but sent a message to the audience via video link.
“I’m just so glad that this moment for all four of us was captured and documented not just for the personal meaning of it but for everyday people to see that yes, this is incredibly challenging, yes, the odds are long but also that yes, this is worth it,” she said.
The film, which premiered on Netflix in May, also drew gushing reviews from left-wing critics. The Guardian‘s Jordan Hoffman wrote described it as “inspiring and a “classic David and Goliath scenario.”
“Everyone likes an underdog story, and when the underdog is as eloquent, passionate and righteous as these four women are, the final reels of this film feel like a Rocky movie,” he wrote at the time.