By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.75 cats
Director: Eliza Hittman
Starring: David Buneta | Eliazar Jimenez | Sam Dugger | Sharon van Etten | Sidney Flanagan | Talia Ryder | Theodore Pellerin
Country: united_kingdom, united_states
Year: 2020
Running time: 101
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7772582/reference
Michael says: “Autumn is a 17-year-old girl who’s most likely considered an outsider may her peers, has a fractious relationship with her stepfather, and escapes into her songwriting and guitar-playing as possibly her only solace. She works as a grocery store clerk, is insulted by her classmates, and, surprise! She’s pregnant. Unable to tell her mother, she visits a clinic, but in the red part of blue-collar Pennsylvania, her only recourse is to head into New York City to get the procedure. Her slightly more plucky cousin Skylar comes with her to offer moral support. Problem is, her podunk town clinic did some shoddy work, and the two girls find themselves stuck in the City longer than they’d hope. Hijinks take place, but they’re not the fun, light-hearted kind that you see in Hollywood flicks. Instead, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS follows Autumn’s difficult journey with almost documentary-style precision. In fact, for the first half of the film, it felt a little like a really well-acted, well-shot, after-school cautionary tale about teen pregnancy. Then out of nowhere comes the moment that birthed the film’s title, and with it your heart breaks for young Autumn as the magnitude of her life comes emotionally crashing to the fore.
“Directed by Eliza Hittman (nominated a couple of years ago for BEACH RATS) the solemn, verity of the story packs a wallop. Hittman shoots straight, and doesn’t provide much relief, except perhaps some meaningful looks from the talented Sidney Flanigan, who plays Autumn. directed at her cousin, also well-played by Talia Ryder, in place of the words she cannot say. There’s a lot of words left unsaid, but Hittman is such a skilled writer/director that you know them anyway. I think I’ve got Hittman on my long list for another nomination! 4.5 cats”
Bob says: “This story of a pregnant 17-year-old from rural Pennsylvania who has to go to NY to terminate the pregnancy without parental consent could have been a melodramatic after-school special. It isn’t. That’s partly because of really naturalistic performances, especially by Sidney Flanigan in the lead, and I’m sure the fact that the writer/director is a woman (Eliza Hittman) helps a lot, although I haven’t seen any of her other work. It’s very much about a character who’s been through a lot, but finds a way to take agency in her life.”
Diane says: “Ah, much like KAJILLIONAIRE—it features a quick trip to NYC. NEVER RARELY is the very involving story of a taciturn teen—so vigilant she never sleeps—who finds out that she’s pregnant. She and her bf/cousin go through many trials. Aside from the main action, they endure humiliating sexual advances regularly and have learned to use them to their advantage. I was pinned to my seat to see if my hopes for these two girls would come to pass. (The latest abortion ruling from the Supreme Court adds to my anger with the system.)
“Acting nom for Sidney Flanigan as lead Autumn, who works so hard to keep a blank face, but her silence still speaks volumes. 5 cats.”
Chris responds: “As for scenes that explain the title of a curiously-titled film, this has one of the best–certainly the most harrowing and effective.”