Kenneth Glad
Long before J.D. Vance entered the White House, his life story had already been turned into a Hollywood production. At the time, it struggled to win over critics. Now, with Vance serving as US vice president, that same film is being reassessed as part of a broader political narrative.
Vance’s memoir Hillbilly Elegy, published in 2016, traced his upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, in a family marked by addiction, instability and financial hardship.
The book became a bestseller and drew attention for its interpretation of working-class America, with New York Times linking it to shifting political dynamics.
Hollywood moved quickly. Imagine Entertainment secured the rights in 2017, with Ron Howard directing and Vanessa Taylor adapting the screenplay.
Netflix later acquired the project, releasing it in November 2020 after a brief theatrical run.
Starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close, the film presents a nonlinear account of Vance’s early life, including his mother’s drug addiction and the influence of his grandmother, who pushed him toward education and stability.
Critical backlash
Despite its awards ambitions, Hillbilly Elegy was met with largely negative reviews. Aggregated scores reflected this, with Rotten Tomatoes showing only 24% positive reviews and Metacritic describing the reception as “generally unfavorable.”
Critics took issue with its portrayal of poverty. The Independent wrote that the film was “perpetuating stereotypes about the poor,” while The A.V. Club described it as “bootstrapping poverty porn” that “reinforces the stereotypes it’s meant to be illuminating.”
Still, some of the performances drew recognition as Glenn Close received nominations at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards, while Amy Adams was also nominated by SAG.
In a rare twist, Close was simultaneously nominated for a Razzie, reflecting the film’s sharply polarised reception, Filmz writes.
New political lens
The film’s meaning has shifted as Vance’s political career accelerated, from senator to vice president. Viewership surged dramatically in 2024 after he was announced as a vice-presidential candidate, increasing by more than 1,100% in a single day.
CNN have since revisited the film as a way to interpret Vance’s rhetoric on class and opportunity. The story’s themes of personal responsibility, family loyalty and social mobility are now frequently discussed in relation to his policy positions.
Director Ron Howard has distanced himself from Vance’s later political stance, saying he was “very surprised and disappointed” by the rhetoric he heard years after filming.
In today’s political climate, Hillbilly Elegy is no longer just a film adaptation – it is part of an ongoing effort to understand the man at the centre of it.
Sources: Filmz, The New York Times, The Independent, The A.V. Club, CNN, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic
