Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)

The movie's title is a very innovative one, I knew this movie was going to be about abortion but that title didn't make sense to me until the middle of the movie and the scene was really raw and powerful. These are the kind of movies only a woman could make, its tough for a man to understand the bond between two women, the oppression they face from a patriarchal society and the ugly entitlement men feel over their bodies.

Eliza Hitman wasn't interested to preach to the audience, she wisely ignores it and rather chooses to hit the raw nerves of anti-choice men and misogynists. Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) is shamed at the start of the film, discouraged to abort her one child, her own state doesn't allow her to make her own decisions on her body, her employer doesn't allow her to take a break when she is unwell, helplessly watches her cousin get preyed by predatory men and also faces cash shortage but in-spite of all this she bravely aborts her fetus with the help of her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder).

Though Autumn is the protagonist of the film, we all would relate more so with Skylar. She sticks by her cousin no matter what and even undergoes great sacrifices to help her. This movie is a must watch by all and a great reflection of a male dominated society.

Fmovies: I appreciate that this film dares to touch aspects of reality that society consciously and conveniently looks past. This movie not only gives a voice to many without one, but also serves as a necessary reminder that those suffering in these ways are far from alone.

This surprised me. It shows how many things you can say with just a camera and some actors. The two ladies were great and had a great chemistry between them and the music and songs was mesmerizing. Finally an American film that looks like made in Europe.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always fmovies. Not the type to recommend to everyone due to its controversial subject. The decision to get an abortion is a complicated one. Standout performance by both the girls. It feels almost too real at times. Authentic movie from start to end despite the controversial subject. Well done.

A simple but raw story with a realistic friendship at its core. No embellishments, no climax. Both comfortable and uncomfortable. Honest.

Pro-lifers mad.

Independent films that premiere at festivals, get picked up by a pretty recognizable distribution company, and eventually either released in theatres, or in this case, at home, rarely get seen by a large audience, due to the small nature of the movie. Without large marketing campaigns, films like Never Rarely Sometimes Always are likely to fall by the wayside. With that said, it's also very much a case of whether or not you're willing to watch a film with tough subject matter. I always highly recommend viewers seek out hidden gems because you will often find something great that nobody has been talking about. Due to the premise of this movie though, I find it extremely difficult to tell you to watch it and here's why.

After 17-year-old Autumn finds out she's unintentionally pregnant, she ventures off to New York City with the company of her cousin. Her plan is to find a clinic that will allow her to terminate the pregnancy, which becomes quite a stressful life-threatening trip for her. Off the top, I'll just state that if this premise will never be able to hold your attention, I'll save you from this movie in saying that it really does waiver from that synopsis. When I watch a movie, I choose to put myself in the shoes of the person involved, even if that means stretching my beliefs a little. In regards to that, this movie is absolutely fantastic.

From the dirty, grainy look to the entire film to the incredibly raw performances by both Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder, this film had all the makings of what people in the film industry consider a "festival darling." Not only did this film feel authentic from start to finish, but can also work as a lesson to those who are faced with a similar situation. While I found myself fundamentally disagreeing with every single decision every character made throughout the course of this movie, I also felt for them. Autumn was faced with impossible circumstances between this and her home life and made you beg the question of what the right decision truly was.

Written and directed by Eliza Hittman, Never Rarely Sometimes Always has proven to me that she is a director worth following. The performances she was able to get out of every actor/actress involved were amazing to me. I believe it was due to her realistic screenplay and caring direction that such an authentic film came from her. She is definitely someone I will seek out in the future. While it is some very tough subject matter to handle, I believe she did a great job, even if it will be a devastating watch for many viewers.

In the end, Never Rarely Sometimes Always is not a film for everyone. Some viewers will despise it, some, like myself, will be able to look at the story itself and find a fantastically done film, and other may be able to relate to it on a personal level. This is the type of movie that will hit viewers in many different ways. On top of that, it has a very slow and quiet feel to it, so some viewers may also find it slightly boring. For me, it was kind of the perfect storm of being hard to watch, but also impeccably made. Again, it's very hard to recommend this one, but if you're willing, it's pretty great.