Never Rarely Sometimes Always - Review

 

One of the hardest things a filmmaker can do is create a story outside of a political agenda. Think of the silliest, most bizarre films out there and they likely have some inkling of political commentary: “Raising Arizona” wouldn’t have happened if convicts didn’t lose so many rights once they were released, “The LEGO Movie” has a lot to say about corporations and social influencing, and “The Invisible Man (2020)” and “Halloween (2018)” are both tales of women surviving abuse and not being believed by the justice system.

So, to create a film that not only feels politically autonomous, but to be so autonomous while having a story about such a politically charged subject is either the mark of a master filmmaker or someone in way over their head. Luckily, writer/director Eliza Hittman (“Beach Rats”) clearly knows what she’s doing, and “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” ends up being a near perfect film.

Its incredible how little dialogue is in “Always,” instead just letting the audience members sit with the characters, taking in their journey and situation alongside them. This is a textbook example of “show, don’t tell,” instead of Autumn telling her cousin how she feels or how upset she is, it’s clearly visible in the way she interacts with the world and reacts to things as they come to her. You don’t need to be told how a situation has affected her, you can feel it too.

That’s a testament not just to the excellent direction from Hittman, but to the performances from these two leads; Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder, both in their film debuts. Their chemistry and friendship is immediately palpable, and it’s the lifeblood of the film. There is no other way to describe their performances other than perfection. Ryder might lean a bit more towards an outgoing side and Flanigan is the more “lead” actress, but both do such an incredible job together its virtually impossible to separate them.

Most will likely not like this film for a number of reasons, one of the biggest being that it is a slow movie. Things really take their time to happen, and it is a film that exists outside of a strict plot structure. “Always” isn’t a film where you ask yourself “does this scene matter more than this other scene?” because they’re all parts of a whole. As cheesy as it might sound, this is less a film and more so an experience.

This is bolstered by some great an inobtrusive cinematography from Hélène Louvart (“The Milk of Human Kindness,” “Pina 3D”) and music from Julia Holter (“Pure,” “Bleed for This”). Holter’s music fades in and out to compliment moments, not to provide a thumping score, and its used to beautiful effect to point out very specific moments within Autumn’s journey. Likewise, while Louvart’s cinematography is for the most part simple, there are specific moments where she deliberately uses Autumn’s attention and a focus away from the moments within ultrasounds and operating rooms to further accentuate her feelings.

Numerous moments throughout the film some might find shocking or upsetting, and question why nothing is done about them. To discuss those specific moments would be to get into spoiler territory but suffice it to say that Hittman has these moments here because, for moment girls and women, that’s how the world is. It’s brutal and shocking and upsetting, but Autumn and Skylar just have to deal with it, like so many other women in the world do. That unflinching commitment to realism might turn some away, as it contributes to the slow pace, but it just further cements the film as an absolute masterclass.

“Never Rarely Sometimes Always” is without a doubt the first truly great film of the year. While there may have been other good movies and ones that will enter the best of the year conversation come December, this is a movie that is virtually guaranteed to be on those lists. From the script to the direction to the acting to the music and cinematography, this is virtually a masterpiece through and through. 5/5