Summary

• Despite being panned by critics, Melissa McCarthy's 2014 comedy film Tammy has recently become a hit on Netflix, ranking at #8 on the streaming platform's global film chart.
• Tammy's success showcases McCarthy's box office appeal in the early 2010s, with her previous films Identity Thief and The Heat also grossing high domestic box office numbers.
• While McCarthy's box office clout has declined in recent years, her popularity remains strong among streaming viewers, as evidenced by Tammy's unexpected appearance in the Netflix top 10.

A critically-panned Melissa McCarthy comedy becomes a Netflix hit almost ten years after its release. Released in 2014, Tammy starred McCarthy as a frazzled fast food worker going on a hilarious road trip with her colorful grandmother (Susan Sarandon) after learning of her husband’s infidelity. Though the movie was savaged by critics (as evidenced by its 24% Rotten Tomatoes score), it turned out to be a big hit with moviegoers, grossing $84 million at the domestic box office.

Tammy may indeed not be among McCarthy’s more memorable starring vehicles, but it continues to attract viewers almost ten years after its release, recently landing in the Netflix top 10. According to the streamer’s global film chart, the 2014 comedy vehicle finished at #8 for the week ending October 22.

Melissa McCarthy Was A Box Office Sure Thing In The Early 2010s

Tammy may have been lambasted by critics when it arrived in 2014, but the presence of McCarthy at the head of the cast still pushed it to within shouting distance of a $100 million domestic gross, proving just how big a draw its lead actor was in the early part of the 2010s. McCarthy’s impressive box office run as a lead actually began in 2013 with Identity Thief ($134 million domestic), which was followed later the same year with The Heat ($159 million domestic), a comedy teaming the star with fellow box office draw Sandra Bullock.

McCarthy was again the main attraction when 2014’s Tammy came out, and she continued her hot run as a comedy star with 2015’s Spy! ($110 million domestic) and 2016’s The Boss ($63 million domestic). Next came 2016’s Ghostbusters, featuring the star as part of an ensemble in a controversial all-female reboot. Unfortunately, box office expectations for that film were very high, meaning its $126 million domestic gross was horribly underwhelming.

Ghostbusters was in fact the last $100-million grosser for McCarthy until 2023’s Disney live-action remake The Little Mermaid, which featured her in a ing role. Though the comedy star’s box office clout has dropped off since her big run in the early part of the last decade, McCarthy’s popularity remains high among streaming viewers, as demonstrated by Tammy’s surprise appearance in the Netflix top 10.

Source: Netflix