Netflix viewers say white supremacist horror film might be ‘scariest movie’ they’ve ever seen

‘Incredibly daring’ film confronts racism in America, with viewers saying ‘you’ll never forget it’

The 2022 horror film Soft & Quiet arrived on US Netflix on 1 May, and many viewers have been posting on social media about its “unflinching dedication to confront racism”.

In the one-take indie from writer-director Beth de Araújo, a primary school teacher (Stefanie Estes) organises a mixer of like-minded white supremacist women, where an encounter with someone from her past spirals into a harrowing chain of events.

A review on RogerEbert.com warned viewers when it first came out: “This is a movie that few will want to watch twice, and if people of colour decide to skip it for their own peace of mind, that’s understandable.

“It’s white people who need to hear and see these things, not those who already know them from personal experience. That being said, the film comes directly from its writer-director’s own lived experiences with racism, which gives it a rawness and an urgency that’s hard to ignore… If you feel sick watching this movie, that means it’s working.”

The film has had a strong impact on fans since it landed on Netflix, with one person tweeting: “Soft & Quiet might be the scariest movie I’ve ever seen.”

“One of my favourite films of 2022, it is mandatory viewing for all non-POC, imo [in my opinion],” posted another. “While not an ‘easy’ watch, it is rewarding in its suspense, ambition, and unflinching dedication to confront racism. Watch it today. You’ll never forget it.”

“Soft & Quiet is apparently on Netflix now and I just want to warn people how f***ed that movie is,” said a third.

Stefanie Estes in ‘Soft & Quiet’ (Momentum)

“There’s no way I can finish watching Soft & Quiet. The way my blood is boiling…,” wrote a fourth.

A fifth tweeted: “I can’t recommend it highly enough. An incredibly daring film in both form and content… it knocks it out of the park.”

The film is not currently available on UK Netflix, but can be rented on Prime Video. Find out what else arrived on Netflix this month here.