Like clockwork, Netflix routinely purges content to make room for new television shows and films. Every now and then, there are a few things that are removed that prove to be a little shocking. Case in point, the mega streamer is parting ways with a 2016 Netflix Original that’s been a darling among critics, and stars the incomparable talents of Oscar winner Allison Janney and Oscar nominee Elliot Page. To top it off, the movie is the brainchild of the Oscar-winning writer and director behind CODA. So what’s the project you should rush to see before it leaves Netflix on July 29?
‘Tallulah’ Is Leaving Netflix
NetflixTallulah is a comedic drama written and directed by Sian Heder. The indie film, made on a budget of $6 million, follows Lu (Page) as she goes from struggling alone in life to becoming an instant mother and acquiring an instant mother figure in Margo (Janey), all thanks to Lu’s impulsive baby kidnapping (although Lu feels justified in her actions due to extenuating circumstances). Here’s the official synopsis of the film, followed by the trailer below:
“Tallulah, the Netflix original film, was written and directed by Sian Heder (Orange is the New Black), and tells the story of young vagabond, Lu (Elliot Page – Whip It, Inception), who lives in a van and is fiercely independent in her hand-to-mouth existence. When a chance encounter incites her to impulsively ‘rescue’ a baby from a negligent mother, Lu, at a loss for what to do, turns to the only responsible adult she knows: Margo (Allison Janney – Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, The Way, Way Back), who mistakenly believes she’s the child’s grandmother. Tammy Blanchard (Into the Woods, Moneyball), Zachary Quinto (Star Trek, Girls), John Benjamin Hickey (The Good Wife, Manhattan) and Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black, The Wiz Live!), also round out the cast.”
“Tallulah’ Was a Critics’ Hit
Turning to Rotten Tomatoes, it’s clear that there was a consensus among critics that they loved Tallulah. As of publication, it’s Certified Fresh with a Tomatometer score of 85%. David Sims for The Atlantic stated:
“Tallulah is occasionally hampered by its high-stakes plot—any film that starts with a baby kidnapping will have the audience on edge until that’s resolved. But it leverages this crazy decision, made by its free-spirited title character (played by an appropriately crust-punk Ellen Page), to instead tell three very different stories of motherhood that avoid obvious clichés.”
Richard Roeper with The Chicago Sun-Times noted, “Tallulah is such a funny, insightful, engrossing and slightly twisted dysfunctional family drama.” Additionally, Katie Walsh with the Los Angeles Times commented, “Even if the tale is a bit much to be believed at times, it’s unlikely you’ll see a film more refreshingly honest and incisive about motherhood than Tallulah.”
Again, Tallulah leaves Netflix on July 29, 2026. So you’ll want to hurry and utilize your Netflix subscription as soon as possible before it’s gone.
