Struggling for inspiration, and tired of endless scrolling, I asked ChatGPT for the best movie on Netflix that not many people know about.  I then asked for the most underrated film on Netflix. On both occasions, the same answer came up – Paddleton.

Giving a quick summary, the robot told me: “A heartfelt, quiet comedy-drama about friendship and mortality starring Mark Duplass and Ray Romano – emotional and surprisingly brilliant.” 

And while I agree that it was surprisingly brilliant, a more apt description may have been surprisingly devastating, because it really was a tear jerker. 

The powerful film, released in 2019 and directed by Alex Lehmann, is under 90 minutes long, meaning I could get through it quicker than a Spurs match – something that brings me equal suffering these days. 

It tells the story of two-middle aged men who live in the same apartment complex. They are best friends who live alone and the opening scene reveals that one of them is diagnosed with terminal cancer. 

Michael, played by Mark Duplass, makes the decision to end his own life, and Andy, played by Ray Ramano, tentatively and reluctantly agrees to help. 

This sees them go on a six-hour road trip to get the end-of-life prescription at a pharmacy and there are plenty of genuinely funny and heartfelt moments along the way. There is also deep pain and frustration that at times threatens to boil over. 

Mark, perhaps more famous for his role in The Morning Show, gives a phenomenal acting performance, and in one of Michael’s lines to his pal, he says: “I was not going to tell you because I didn’t want it to change things, you know? I wanna make some pizzas, I wanna watch some movies, I wanna play some Paddleton (a game they made up), you know?”

Ray, who also played his role perfectly, later delivered a poignant line where his character said there was nothing “normal” about the situation they were in, and it was therefore impossible to act like it. 

Friendship is at the heart of the story that confronts death, and being there for the highest of highs and lowest of lows, and all the mundane things in between.

The film forces you to address your own mortality and think about how you would behave if you or someone close to you was terminally ill. Or, if you have been through something so challenging already, it is sure to make you reflect on it too. 

Michael and Andy provide some laugh out loud moments throughout but they also end up having uncomfortable and profound conversations, ones they may never have had if it wasn’t for the end being so close. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the incredibly raw film, and the last 30 minutes were a masterpiece. You couldn’t take your eyes off authentic scenes that were both harrowing and beautiful. 

And while ChatGPT was right in that it was surprisingly brilliant, I also ended up being surprised that I had never heard of it before. If you are stuck for something to watch on Netflix, this might just be the one for you too.