For a movie that critics and audiences agree is, well, kind of just okay, “Echo Valley” sure isn’t struggling to find an audience on Apple TV+. The family mystery thriller, starring Sydney Sweeney and Julianne Moore, has climbed into the app’s Top 10 movies list, where it currently sits at #4. That popularity is coming in spite of lukewarm reviews across the board since its June release — specifically, the movie is holding onto a 52% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes (based on 89 reviews) and an almost identical 51% audience rating from more than 250 reviewers. The official Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus neatly sums up the split personality of this Apple original:
“Julianne Moore’s committed turn and the relatable premise of how far a parent will go for their child gives ‘Echo Valley’ some high peaks, but soporific plotting sends it sloping back down to routine territory.” Which is a long way of saying: Even if the story itself isn’t landing with everyone, it seems audiences are showing up anyway for the rare pairing of one of Hollywood’s hottest rising stars and a decorated Oscar winner.
Echo Valley’s strong Apple TV+ showing
Directed by Michael Pearce and written by “Mare of Easttown” creator Brad Ingelsby, the movie unfolds on a horse training farm in rural Pennsylvania. Moore plays Kate Garrett, whose quiet life is upended when her daughter Claire (Sweeney) shows up in the middle of the night covered in someone else’s blood. What follows is a dark, emotional spiral into crime and family drama, as Kate confronts the ultimate test of maternal loyalty.
The only Apple movies currently outperforming “Echo Valley” at the moment are the Anya Taylor-Joy horror flick “The Gorge” at #1, the “Indiana Jones”-style romp “Fountain of Youth” at #2, and the Mark Wahlberg-led comedy “The Family Plan” at #3. Even if “Echo Valley” isn’t a critical darling, it’s an undeniably buzzy addition to Apple’s library — proof that a star-driven thriller can still generate a strong showing, even if the reviews say otherwise.
As for Sweeney, her release on Apple’s streamer marks yet another leap forward in her career. After projects like “Euphoria,” “The White Lotus,” and the rom-com hit “Anyone But You,” she’s leaned harder into more intense, daring material with movies like “Immaculate” and now “Echo Valley.” She can be seen most recently in the new film “Americana,” directed by Tony Tost. Headlines about her partnerships — such as her American Eagle jeans commercial — and her growing presence on the awards circuit have kept her squarely at the center of the pop culture conversation.
