Netflix has added the film An American Pickle to its library, with fans praising Seth Rogen's performance as a career best. The movie, originally released in 2020, follows an Orthodox Jewish factory worker who falls into suspended animation for 100 years after an accident involving pickle brine. He wakes up in modern New York City and moves in with his great-great-grandson, a freelance app developer.
Rogen plays both Herschel and Ben in a dual role, joined by Sarah Snook, Jorma Taccone, and Tim Robinson. The screenplay, written by Simon Rich, is based on one of his short stories. Rich has previously written for Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, and worked on Pixar's Inside Out and 2023's Wonka.
Despite a limited theatrical release due to the pandemic, the film earned a 73% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Fan reactions are mixed, but many agree on Rogen's standout performance. One viewer said: 'An American Pickle has such an outrageous plot that can only be justified by Seth Rogen. He gives one of his best performances so far.' Another called the film 'shockingly underrated' and praised its 'brilliant script' and Rogen's acting.
Some fans argue the film is misclassified as a comedy, suggesting it is more of a drama with social commentary. As one person explained: 'This is not a comedy or a bad film. Rather simply it is a social commentary interspersed with light hearted moments.'
