Sarah’s Oil has been well-received by viewers on Rotten Tomatoes. This period piece, set in the early 20th century, centers around a young African American girl, Sarah Rector (played by Naya Desir-Johnson). She inherits a piece of land abundant in oil and must protect it from various aggressive entities with the assistance of a benevolent Texan oil driller, Bert Smith (portrayed by Zachery Levi).
Zachery Levi is recognized for his roles in numerous superhero films, including appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok, as well as the DC Extended Universe’s Shazam! and Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
While Sarah’s Oil has yet to accumulate enough reviews from critics to secure an official Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it has garnered an impressive 97% audience score based on over 100 user reviews. This score remains subject to change as more reviews come in, but it is currently high enough that even a slight drop would still likely position it to achieve a Verified Hot status once it meets the review count requirement.
The film has not only achieved a near-perfect score on the Popcornmeter, but it has also received numerous high ratings from individual users, with most giving it four and a half to five stars. A common thread among these reviews is the praise for the film’s acting, describing it as both heartwarming and informative.
Zachery Levi’s recent projects continue to perform well on Rotten Tomatoes since his last DCEU movie, 2023’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods. He has since appeared in five films, which include Spy Kids: Armageddon (54%), Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (83%), Harold and the Purple Crayon (27%), The Unbreakable Boy (43%), and Sarah’s Oil (N/A). Despite mixed critical responses, Levi’s films have consistently secured high audience ratings, starting with Harold and the Purple Crayon at 89% and The Unbreakable Boy at 97%, a score also achieved by Sarah’s Oil.
It’s important to note that for a user’s review to be considered verified on Rotten Tomatoes, they must have purchased their movie ticket through Fandango, which owns Rotten Tomatoes.
Despite their modest box office performances, with Harold earning just $32.2 million against a $40 million budget and The Unbreakable Boy garnering only $7.2 million, Sarah’s Oil is projected to debut at fourth place with an estimated $4.4 million. As these films likely had lower budgets, their financial success could be viewed differently. However, the small size of their audiences suggests that those who watched these films were probably already inclined to enjoy them due to specific appealing elements, contributing to the overwhelmingly positive ratings.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
