Eliza Hittman wrote and directed this *Indie Abortion Drama* that will clearly be the most mainstream movie in the history of EVER… right?!?!
Hey Everyone! For this week’s review, I wanted to go with something that is actually relatively recent in the form of Universal/Focus Features’ Never Rarely Sometimes Always. Now, for any new readers, let me briefly explain what I like to do with plot summaries here: I don’t. Here’s the IMDb link and GOOD DAY SIR!: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7772582/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Alright, with my joking aside, I would definitely recommend seeking any stuff to help you get a grasp on what kind of movie this is because spoiler alert, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! This is actually one movie that I have kept an eye on for a while since I just had a hunch that it would be something really special (and that didn’t even take into account any of the buzz it got at Sundance). I would have even tried to seek this out in theaters when we thought that 2020 was gonna’ be year like the rest of ’em.
And welp… because I don’t really wanna keep going down that depressing rabbit hole (in the hopes of being a nice distraction from that), I’m just gonna jump straight into the part where I was excited when I saw this was going to be a part of Universals’ premium rentals program and immediately jumped at the $10 discount. Now let me tell you, it was DEFINITELY worth it because Never Rarely Sometimes Always is a film that is very simple on the surface, yet it was extremely effective in its execution- with it instantly jumping to my best/favorite (“bes-vorite???”) of the year by far.
Now, I know that some people are probably like “Well you’re just a nerdy cinephile and you only liked it because it was an artsy-fartsy approach on a sensitive subject” and first off, ouch- that hurt! (Wait a minute, I’m the one writing this… why did I just insult myself?!?!) Secondly, I really do genuinely believe that this is a beautifully profound story that I was invested in it from the moment it began. As a guy who just turned 18 a couple of months ago, I know I will technically never be able to experience the same things that this film is centered on.
Yet DAMN was I still able to connect to Autumn’s journey as a character and all of that stems from the powerful performance from newcomer Sidney Flanigan. And yes, I did just say “newcomer”, because this was actually her acting debut, which makes what she did even more crazy impressive. The entirety of Never Rarely Sometimes Always rests on her shoulders and by god she does not come close to letting it fall. Flanigan uses so many marvelous subtleties that really make your emotional connection to her feel earned–instead of feeling forced by practically crying out and begging for your sympathy. When together with Talia Ryder (who does great work as her cousin in embracing her supportive and selfless qualities), they make your eyes glued to the screen… to the point where I literally had to pry them off my TV (and let’s just say it hurt).
And honestly, Never Rarely Sometimes Always is a pitch perfect case of how to use character archetypes well as Flanigan and Ryder do an exceptional job at making these characters feel fully formed- while still maintaining a sense of realism and relatability to where I can easily imagine many girls seeing their own stories in this story. (If you think that seemed like an out-of-place tangent, then you… are probably right! But I make my own rules here so I don’t give two flying craps, so get Fozzy Bear because we’re “‘Movin’ Right Along'”)
Of course, those sentiments with the incredible acting also goes out to the storytelling abilities of Eliza Hittman, since she knew EXACTLY how to make this low-key story succeed. In fact, there’s not even that much dialogue here, but Hittman uses some really strong and subtle visuals to say every little thematic detail for her (whether it in the more innate struggles of being a teenage girl or more nuanced in the need for support in any capacity), which is just awesome to see. And it helps that when there is dialogue, Hittman leaves enough clues for the viewer so that you and the actors can bring meaning to what’s being said and yeah- that is utterly powerful.
Actually (Holy Convenient Transitions Batman!), powerful is the perfect word to describe Never Rarely Sometimes Always– there’s nothing else more fitting. This film is an emotionally rich cinematic masterpiece and although I will mention a few “negatives”, they really have not felt more obligatory in my brief history of reviewing movies. For one, there’s one character who pops in and kinda’ feels like a plot device… even though with how raw the movie feels as a whole so that character still makes sense within the realistic story (Look, I know I just contradicted one of my few complaints but I honestly am really pulling at straws here). Also, even though the film does not get overtly pretentious or political with what its aiming to do, the very nature of Never Rarely Sometimes Always‘ style and subject matter will not be in-mind for every viewer imaginable.
Alright, that’s it- I’m done trying to knock down this movie because again (in case it wasn’t obvious), Never Rarely Sometimes Always is a truly phenomenal film that has dug deep into my soul and I know it will stick with me for decades to come. (Heck, even as I’ve been writing this post I have been getting to antsy to watch it again, which is really telling in my opinion).
Rating: 10/10 and I loved it! (And if I’m going to be quite honest with myself, it might reach ‘Mind-Blowing’ levels pretty fast)
Woah, that got pretty deep and yes, while I know that this may gotten a little longer than even I expected, I think it should be pretty obvious why I felt the need to this far. Anyway, thank you so much for having stuck around up and until this point. I would definitely giving this movie a rental before it goes back to $20 but either way, it’s worth it! If you are interested in seeing this movie or have actually already seen it (like the good lil’ cinephile you are), then be sure to let me know about in the comments below. And as always, I think you should all know who I am…
I’m Your Friendly Neighborhood Film Nerd!
P.S. My Spider-Man Review Marathon is going to be starting next week with Sam Raimi’s original Spider-Man, so I hope you cann look forward to that!
Spinning the Cineweb 