Netflix’s addition of Hot Pursuit, an action-comedy film starring Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara, at the end of December has given the movie a new lease of life as it has soared on the streaming giant’s charts.

Hot Pursuit was first released in cinemas back in 2015 to dismal reviews from critics and audiences alike. Despite this, the film currently sits at No. 2 on the UK’s charts, according to FlixPatrol. It has achieved similar success in other countries, sitting at No. 4 in the United States and is the top-rated film in Colombia.

The synopsis for the film reads: “Straight-arrow policewoman Cooper (Reese Witherspoon) is excited and thrilled about her next assignment. Her task is to escort Daniella Riva (Sofía Vergara), a wisecracking Colombian beauty, from San Antonio to Dallas so both she and her husband can testify against a drug lord.

“Plans go awry when Mr. Riva gets ambushed, leaving Daniella a widow. Cooper and her witness must now use their wits to escape from crooked cops and murderous gunmen, while not killing each other in the process.”

Critical and fan response

Critically, the film was a flop, with the film holding an astonishingly low approval rating of just eight per cent on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. Its consensus reads: “Shrill and unfunny, Hot Pursuit bungles what should have been an easy opportunity to showcase Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara’s likable odd-couple chemistry.”

In a three-star review for The Guardian, Jordan Hoffman said: “I can’t believe just how dumb Hot Pursuit is. Moreover I can’t believe just how much I laughed. During most Manhattan screenings I love nothing more than to stay and chew the fat with my critic colleagues.

Still image of Sofia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon screaming in Hot Pursuit© Alamy Stock Photo
Critics slated the movie when it was released in 2015

“This time, I raced out lest anyone confirm that, yes, it was I who was guffawing during this predictable, hokey, retrograde comedy. It was a shame similar to getting drunk at the office Christmas party. Thank heavens campy romps don’t lead to hangovers.”

Fans were also mixed in their response to the film. One wrote: “Not everything is funny, but it is for sure funny enough to keep you interested. And some scenes made me laugh out loud, and that doesn’t happen very much,” and a second added: “Hot Pursuit works much better than Heat. The only difference between Heat and any male buddy movie is the two female leads. The chemistry between Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vegara in Hot Pursuit works very well. Most of the gags are very funny. I would like to ask critics, if the movie wasn’t funny, why was I laughing?“

Reese Witherspoon as a police officer in Hot Pursuit© Alamy Stock Photo
Fans had a mixed response to the film

However, a third quipped: “Hot Pursuit? More like Hot Mess,” while a fourth posted: “The entire movie is very lazily written, and panders to those who aren’t phased by the same movie being released four times a year. Every scene in the movie feels like it’s been done a million times before. Every time something happens, you already know what’s going to go on for the next ten minutes.”

Who stars in Hot Pursuit?

The film is led by Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde), who plays Officer Rose Cooper, and Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), who portrays Daniella Riva. They’re also joined by Robert Kazinsky (True Blood) as Randy, a prisoner in jail for assaulting his sister’s abusive boyfriend, and Matthew Del Negro (Scandal) as Detective Hauser.

Still image of Michael Mosely, Sofia Vergara, Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Del Negro in Hot Pursuit© Alamy Stock Photo
The pair are joined by the likes of Michael Moseley and Matthew Del Negro

Rounding out the cast are Michael Mosley (Ozark), Richard T. Jones (The Rookie), Joaquin Cosio (The Thin Yellow Line), John Carroll Lynch (American Horror Story), Jim Gaffigan (Tesla), Mike Birbiglia (Orange Is the New Black), Vincent Laresca (Romeo & Juliet) and Evaluna Montaner (Club 57).