There is much we still don’t know about J.D. Vance’s personal politics, but one thing seems certain: The scathing response to the 2020 movie that told the story of his life, “Hillbilly Elegy,” turned the Republican vice presidential candidate against Hollywood, and further turned him against the mainstream media.
When the movie directed by Ron Howard and produced by Brian Grazer came out in November 2020, days after the presidential election won by Joe Biden and contested by Donald Trump, critics were unforgiving, and fairly unanimous.
The movie depicted Vance’s family background in Appalachia, riven by addiction, poverty and the rupture of the family unit.