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Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Technology
Christina Izzo

One of the wildest comedies I've ever seen is leaving Netflix this week — why you need to stream it before it's gone

(L-R) Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh and JJ Ó Dochartaigh in "Kneecap".

Every month, Netflix — like all of the top streaming services — gives its extensive inventory a refresh, welcoming a whole host of new film and TV titles while saying a fond farewell to a slew of others to make some space on the platform. And June 2026 will be no exception, with a fresh slate of Netflix newcomers as well as several great titles being removed from the rotation.

And one of the most outrageous comedies in recent years falls into that latter camp: "Kneecap" will leave Netflix on June 2. That departure date should only serve as a reminder that you should watch this foul-mouthed, defiantly funny comedy ASAP. The brilliant 2024 biopic chronicles the rise of Kneecap, an Irish hip-hop trio from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and in doing so manages to be one of the most over-the-top yet overlooked movies of the decade.

Need more convincing? Here's why you should stream on "Kneecap" before it leaves Netflix next week.

What is 'Kneecap' about?

Written and directed by Rich Peppiatt, “Kneecap” is a music biopic in that it charts the meteoric rise of the hip-hop trio of the same name. But unlike other big wigs of the genre, like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Rocketman," "Elvis" and most recently "Michael," "Kneecap" sees the actual band members Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh starring as themselves, which gives the whole shebang a level of lived-in authenticity its peers lack.

Set in Northern Ireland, the fictionalized origin story sees bored Belfast schoolteacher JJ encounter self-declared “low-life scum" Naoise and Liam Og; that meeting leads to the creation of the titular music group, whose insistence on rapping in their native Irish language makes the lads unlikely leaders in a Civil Rights movement, overcoming police, paramilitaries and politicians trying to silence their musical rebellion.

Why you should stream 'Kneecap' on Netflix before it leaves

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Classics)

With a logline that promises "a fiercely original sex, drugs and hip-hop biopic," "Kneecap" certainly had a riotous reputation to live up to when it hit theaters back in August 2024.

And boy, does it ever. It's a high-energy romp with a punk edge, colorful characters (along with the real-life band members, the cast also includes Michael Fassbender, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds and Adam Best) and plenty of crude language. (It goes without saying, the boisterously funny flick is very much rated R for pervasive drug content and language, sexual content/nudity and some violence.)

And that cinematic anarchy rightly translated to great critical acclaim: "Kneecap" won Best British Independent Film at the British Independent Film Awards, along with Joint Lead Performance acting honors for Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh and awards for casting, editing and music. On Rotten Tomatoes, the comedy has an excellent 96% approval rating, with the site's critical consensus praising: "A rebellious anthem for cultural preservation, Kneecap is as shaggy, rambunctious, and lovable as the eponymous hip hop group at its center."

Watch "Kneecap" on Netflix right now

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