Ansel Elgort’s Underseen Sci-Fi Jonathan Is Streaming on Netflix

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The film has found a new audience, becoming part of Netflix’s large collection of movies. This 2018 science fiction drama recently became available on Netflix again, returning to where it first streamed almost seven years ago.

On February 20th, Jonathan returned to its original platform with a variety of new content. This included the first season of Adam Scott’s Strip Law, the animated 2019 reboot of The Addams Family, and all four films. Jonathan first became available on Netflix in January 2019, shortly after being released in theaters in November 2018.

What Is Jonathan About?

The movie, released in the late 2000s, features Ansel Elgort playing Jonathan and John – two sides of the same person who share a single body. When the more reserved Jonathan learns that his carefree counterpart, John, has broken their established boundaries by starting a relationship, the two personalities clash in a struggle to take over.

I’m really excited about Jonathan – not just the story, but the cast is incredible! Patricia Clarkson, Suki Waterhouse, and Matt Bomer are all on board, and that’s a seriously talented group of actors.

Despite featuring a strong cast, the movie Jonathan wasn’t successful with audiences. Made for around $2.1 million, it only earned $41,558 in theaters. While it didn’t attract many viewers, it received generally positive, though not enthusiastic, reviews from both critics and fans.

Viewers gave Jonathan a 54% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while critics gave it a 62%. Some critics thought the movie’s complicated story didn’t quite live up to its promise, but many praised Ansel Elgort’s performance, comparing it to…

Ansel Elgort Said He Knew Jonathan Was Special From The Start

I remember hearing that Ansel Elgort quickly understood there was something truly unique about the character of Jonathan. He actually told Variety back in April 2018 that when his team first handed him the script, they gave him a little heads-up beforehand – a sort of disclaimer about what he was about to read.

The actor explained that his agent first shared the script with him, noting it was made with a limited budget and directed by a newcomer. Even though the film was a smaller production, the actor was very impressed with the final result.

I generally don’t enjoy reading scripts. I prefer things like working on music. Usually, I’ll read the first few pages of a script and then give up. But this one was different – I couldn’t put it down. It felt authentic and intimate, almost like a stage play because it only features three actors.

After reading the script, Ansel Elgort, then 24 years old, needed to convince director Bill Oliver that he was right for the lead role. He explained that it was easier for him to portray John, the basketball-playing character with a girlfriend, than Jonathan, the more reserved architect. He wondered if he could pull off the architect role, as his breakout film, Baby Driver, hadn’t been released yet and he wasn’t yet in high demand.

Jonathan is currently available to stream on Netflix.

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2026-02-22 22:06