Luckiest Girl Alive writer responds to backlash against Netflix hit
Note: The following article contains discussion of sexual misconduct.
Luckiest Girl Alive writer Jessica Knoll has responded to the backlash against the Netflix hit regarding its trigger warning.
Based on the book of the same name by Knoll, the film follows Ani (played by Mila Kunis), a New York magazine editor who is forced to to confront her traumatic past when a director for a crime documentary asks her to tell her side of a shocking incident.
Although the trigger warning mentions "violent content, rape and sexual material," many viewers believe it should have been stronger given the film's depiction of three graphic rape scenes and a school shooting.
Related: The true story behind Netflix's Luckiest Girl Alive
However, while speaking with Variety, Knoll responded to the criticism and defended the disclaimer provided.
"We talked about it extensively. In the end, we gave it the strong rating that it has. It doesn’t just say 'sexual violence', it says 'rape'," she explained. "We made the decision to include that word in it.
"In the script, we decided to reveal in the first act that she was part of a school shooting, which is not the way it is in the book. That also gives people ample time to be like, 'Oh, there’s school shooting in this? It’s not for me.'
"We also include a resource card at the end. If you follow that, there’s a roundtable I did with a psychiatrist, a moderator from RAINN and also with Chiara Aurelia, one of our actresses."
Related: Why Luckiest Girl Alive's ending was changed from the book
She added: "We’ve done a lot to be sensitive about all of the very sensitive issues that are in the film. I am a little surprised by it, honestly, because there’s so much violence against women in a lot of things out there right now.
"I just don’t see people in an uproar about that. We’ve gone to all these lengths in all these other ways, and I’m happy to do it. I want there to be resources for people. I want people to be prepared going in, so yeah, it’s a little surprising."
Digital Spy has reached out to Netflix for comment.
The author continued by saying that it's not all been criticism. Since the film's release, she's also received messages from people thanking her for sharing the narrative and helping them come to terms with trauma they haven't yet processed.
Luckiest Girl Alive is now available to watch on Netflix.
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, who work towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contactRAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
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