Credit: Netflix

You can say a lot about the audience’s mood board by looking at the regional Netflix trends weekly, and this week, US viewers are in the mood for love, as is evident by the rise of Flipped on the charts.

In the week dated February 9th to February 15th, the romantic comedy, based on Wendelin Van Draanen’s 2001 novel, was ranked sixth on the most popular movies chart on Netflix US, right below another iconic genre movie, Overboard.

Directed by Rob Reiner, Flipped is a heartwarming romantic comedy which captures the evolving dynamics between neighbours and classmates Juli Baker and Bryce Loski, from second grade to eighth grade, highlighting the major flip that comes with age and perspective. The rom-com starts in the second grade, when seven-year-old Bryce moves next door to Juli. Right from the outset, Juli knew she was in love. However, Bryce? Not so much.

Over the years, Bryce goes to great lengths to avoid Juli, even as far as pretending to date her rival to create distance. However, two unlikely, unrelated incidents ultimately repel her: the first one involving the cutting down of a sycamore tree, and the subsequent one surrounding his actions and comments about the quality of the chicken eggs she sold to them, alongside the poorly cared-for yard in which chickens are raised.

But the thing about puppy love is that it is usually full of distractions, which is why realisations are often a late occurrence. Hence, it’s not exactly a surprise that it takes Juli to lose interest in Bryce for him to take notice of her. Quite classic, right? So, it all boils down to a school “basket boy” auction, where Juli’s lack of interest in bidding for Bryce becomes the catalyst for opening his eyes.

In essence, Flipped literally flips the stereotypical trope of rom-coms, doing away with the idea of mutual love at first sight to capture the hurdles of one-sided love in an age as turbulent as the teenage years. While most movies portray mature love, its shortcomings and fulfillments, the 2010 movie chooses the road less taken to depict the tumultuousness of tender love.

Coming to the triggers behind the rise of Flipped on Netflix US, when the cult classic was recently added to the library on February 1st, the streaming algorithm pushed it to the audience’s visibility radar with the “Recently Added” label. Secondly, it arrived just in time for Valentine’s Day, sparking a massive surge in recommendations and subsequent viewership.

Additionally, Flipped has secured a second audience on TikTok and Instagram, thanks to reels nostalgia-tripping with recap clips over the last few years. So, it’s no wonder the movie is currently a hit on streaming.

Yet, as you already know about the non-negotiable Netflix policy, nothing on streaming stays forever. So, if you want to watch it for the first time or rewatch it for the 100th, do so while Flipped is streaming on Netflix.