You Were Never Really Here (2018) Review
"McCleary said you were brutal"
-Senator Albert Votto
"I can be."
-Joe
You Were Never Really Here follows ex-military veteran and former FBI agent, Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), who is very unstable, suffering from PTSD. Joe works as a hired-gun, tracking down trafficked girls. Joe is hired by a State Senator to track down his missing daughter, Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov), but things don't go according to plan and Joe is forced to fight for his life and Nina's against the dark forces hiding in the shadows of New York City.
What Works:
You Were Never Really Here is primarily a character study focusing on Joe, a character who has seen some s**t. This guys is messed up. Not only does the movie show why Joe has some serious issues, but it really puts you in his head-space. The movie has quite a few moments where the sound is dialed up loud. It gave me sensory overload, making me feel claustrophobic and anxious, which is how Joe is feeling. It's tough to sit through, but very effective.
The world of You Were Never Really Here is also extremely bleak and depressing. Joe, himself, is depressed and suicidal. The subject matter is disturbing and depressing, so it may not be fun, but we get an excellent understanding of Joe.
But it's not all terrible. One of the highlights of the movie is the relationship between Joe and his mother (Judith Roberts). They are both very troubled individuals, but they really care for one another and they have several very sweet scenes. Joe also likes to sing, and there are some excellent moments of Joe singing that briefly lighten this very dark film.
Finally, the cinematography is excellent, with one shot in particular being one of the single greatest shots I have ever seen in my life. I won't say what it is, except for that it is an underwater shot. My jaw, literally, dropped when I saw it, and it will definitely stick with me. It is stunningly beautiful.
What Sucks:
My only real problem is sometimes the dialogue is hard to hear and understand. The characters mumble a little too often. I don't know if that was intentional, but I do like to be able to understand what I'm watching, and I couldn't always do that here.
As I said above, this movie makers you feel claustrophobic, anxious, and depressed. It's not easy to sit through. And while it is definitely an experience I'm glad I had, this film is not for everybody. You're not going to come out of this feeling good. With this sort of subject matter, there simply isn't a happy ending waiting for these characters. I appreciate movies like this, but I know not everyone does, so see this movie with caution.
Verdict:
You Were Never Really Here is a powerful movie that is a tough sit. Joaquin Phoenix is great and the film does a great job showing us life from Joe's perspective. You probably won't enjoy the movie, but you will most likely appreciate it, and you may want to take a shower when all is said and done.
8/10: Really Good
What Works:
You Were Never Really Here is primarily a character study focusing on Joe, a character who has seen some s**t. This guys is messed up. Not only does the movie show why Joe has some serious issues, but it really puts you in his head-space. The movie has quite a few moments where the sound is dialed up loud. It gave me sensory overload, making me feel claustrophobic and anxious, which is how Joe is feeling. It's tough to sit through, but very effective.
The world of You Were Never Really Here is also extremely bleak and depressing. Joe, himself, is depressed and suicidal. The subject matter is disturbing and depressing, so it may not be fun, but we get an excellent understanding of Joe.
But it's not all terrible. One of the highlights of the movie is the relationship between Joe and his mother (Judith Roberts). They are both very troubled individuals, but they really care for one another and they have several very sweet scenes. Joe also likes to sing, and there are some excellent moments of Joe singing that briefly lighten this very dark film.
Finally, the cinematography is excellent, with one shot in particular being one of the single greatest shots I have ever seen in my life. I won't say what it is, except for that it is an underwater shot. My jaw, literally, dropped when I saw it, and it will definitely stick with me. It is stunningly beautiful.
What Sucks:
My only real problem is sometimes the dialogue is hard to hear and understand. The characters mumble a little too often. I don't know if that was intentional, but I do like to be able to understand what I'm watching, and I couldn't always do that here.
As I said above, this movie makers you feel claustrophobic, anxious, and depressed. It's not easy to sit through. And while it is definitely an experience I'm glad I had, this film is not for everybody. You're not going to come out of this feeling good. With this sort of subject matter, there simply isn't a happy ending waiting for these characters. I appreciate movies like this, but I know not everyone does, so see this movie with caution.
Verdict:
You Were Never Really Here is a powerful movie that is a tough sit. Joaquin Phoenix is great and the film does a great job showing us life from Joe's perspective. You probably won't enjoy the movie, but you will most likely appreciate it, and you may want to take a shower when all is said and done.
8/10: Really Good
Comments
Post a Comment