Review of You Were Never Really Here (2017) by Benskylerhill — 09 May 2018

I have yet to see Joaquin Phoenix give a performance in which he does not completely steal the show. You Were Never Really Here just may be his greatest, most raw work yet. It never, not even for a second, feels like he’s acting. I never once saw an actor on the screen, but a broken, sick man in search of some sort of meaning to his life.

You Were Never Really Here is not a film meant for casual viewing. Its dark and brutal subject matter of PTSD, sex trafficking, depression, corruption, abuse of authority, and violence is explored in great detail. But the way it’s portrayed makes for a deeply moving story. The direction style goes for a lot of symbolic storytelling and for the most part, it works. When it does work, it presents a strong commentary on the dark aspects of life and how there’s always some light at the end of the tunnel.

But where this film doesn’t really work lies in much of its presentation. There are some plot points and character arcs that feel like they have entire scenes missing from them. The plot synopses of this movie tell us that the main character, Joe, is a Gulf War veteran and an ex-FBI agent but there’s little to no material in the film itself to tell us that. There are some flashback scenes that almost feel unfinished, like they don’t really fulfil their purpose in telling us about the characters. Although the musical score works very well with how the movie is shot, the visual editing is choppy between scenes and the pacing is uneven, often shifting quickly between slow and fast pacing that makes for a confusing experience.

But these issues don’t detract from the overall effectiveness that the film shows in delivering its message in a forceful way. The fantastic performances and simplistic, melancholy script immersed me in the life of Joe in such a way that I truly felt he was real, and that made his experiences that much more meaningful and relatable by the end of the story.

You Were Never Really Here is an ambitious work of art. It juggles a lot of controversial, uncomfortable themes and even though it sometimes fails to hold them all in place and articulate them to their necessary extent, it manages to come through with a hopeful, emotionally resonant narrative that is essential viewing in these difficult times we live in.

Story: 6.

Acting: 10.

Script: 8.

Visuals/Sound: 7.5.

Entertainment Value: 8.