Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal is an American documentary film about the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal. The movie stars Matthew Modine as Rick Singer and features reenactments as well as interviews with real people involved in the scandal.
Contents
Cast
Matthew Modine as Rick Singer
Roger Rignack as John B Wilson
Jillian Peterson as Lead FBI Agent
Wallace Langham as Gordon Caplan
Jeff Rector as Devin Sloane
Courtney Rackley as Jane Buckingham
Josh Stamberg as Bill McGlashan
Jeremy Sless as Guidance Counselor
Production
Production took place in 2020 with delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Release
The documentary was released on Netflix on March 17, 2021. The documentary was the seventh-most-watched film on the platform that week.
Reception
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes the documentary holds an approval rating of 88% based on 51 reviews. Actor Matthew Modine's performance was well received with Salon magazine writing that his performance was a "convincing interpretation of Singer's intense physicality." Clarie McNear of The Ringer, thought the documentary was "delicious" although it failed "to cover much new ground." Kelly Lawler of USA Today wrote that the documentary "lacks any uniqueness in its staid narrative."
Legal
On April 6, 2021, Netflix was sued for defamation by John B. Wilson and his family. The Wilson family alleged that the documentary misrepresented them by portraying them as guilty and complicit in the scandal. Wilson was convicted at trial. The First Circuit partially overturned the verdict on appeal. Wilson claims that before the release of the Netflix documentary, he provided them with evidence that proved his children earned their spot in their respective colleges. However, Netflix disregarded Wilson’s evidence, and portrayed him and his family as complicit in the scandal. In 2024, Wilson also filed a $75 million lawsuit against the University of Southern California for fraud and deceit.