I have been hearing great things about this movie for a while, so when I finally got the opportunity to watch it, I grabbed it. What is fascinating and scary to think about is that Never Rarely Sometimes Always was relevant and filmed long before Roe v. Wade was overruled in 2022. What a fucking disgrace that is.
It’s difficult to discuss anything related to this movie and not get political, despite that equivalence being absolutely fucking dumb. Women’s rights aren’t political. They exist, or, in an ideal society, should exist. The sheer fact that many women can’t decide their fate and whether or not they want to become mothers is ludicrous. It reminds me of the old joke that says that if men could get pregnant, there would be abortion machines on every corner. There would be a morning-after pill, during-the-coitus pill and one after-the-fact pill, just in case. And I strongly believe this is not a joke. If you still can’t see where I stand on this issue… I don’t know what to tell you.
I will try as hard as possible to talk about the movie and put the horrific facts aside for a moment. The film paints a very black-and-white picture, but it does it to make a larger point. What I mean by that is every man our two protagonists encounter is either disgusting, inappropriate or a straight-up creep. If I worked for a few right-leaning websites, my following sentence could look like this: “Never Rarely Sometimes Always hates all men! But some men are nice, but this movie doesn’t want to acknowledge that because it’s so pro-feminist, toxic….” You can probably imagine the rest, especially if you were not born yesterday. But, as always, people will see what they want to see. This movie chooses specific and, unfortunately, real-life characters that your mum, sister, girlfriend, or wife can encounter in her day-to-day life to illustrate a much bigger point. Don’t believe me? You don’t have to; I am a man. But ask them. Talk to the women who mean something to you; listen to them, and you might be surprised and uncomfortable.
And Never Rarely Sometimes Always puts you in this uncomfortable space from the very first scene, and it never disappears. Eliza Hittman knows how to say and show so much with so little and uplifts this film, where despite it being a very indie and low budget (I can’t find a precise figure, but it’s quoted under five million dollars) movie, you don’t feel “cheated”. It grips you, never lets you go, and you stay glued to the screen despite its bleakness and tough-to-watch scenes. A big part is Eliza, but the main heroines are Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder.
I can’t say this any louder, but I hope both actresses have a long and fruitful career ahead of them. Sidney is our lead, and she does so much with just her face and eyes; it was mesmerizing to watch. The pivotal scene where we learn why this film is called Never Rarely Sometimes Always when the camera is on her face for what must have been at least ten minutes, was a masterclass in acting. The subtlety, when she realized a couple of things about her life through those questions, she was “forced” to answer… heart-breaking, poignant, and well done. I felt like giving her a massive hug at the end, and if it was in my power, all of her rights back because she deserves is entitled to them.
Talia’s character must have been tricky on paper because it’s such a specific role to portray. She had to be the “fodder” for her cousin, provided some levity (even though there are hardly any jokes) and most importantly, captured that specific bond that only the best of friends have. Those you can tell to fuck off, and they know you just need a moment to yourselves, so they might walk away for a minute, but they never leave your side. They are always there, looking after you. Talia captured that perfectly, and her chemistry with Sidney was spot-on. Because of them, you cherish those (rare) moments of lightness these two share.
In a perfect world, Never Rarely Sometimes Always would not be needed. But we live in a less-than-ideal world, so films like this are badly needed. If even one person who is on some edge about abortion watches this movie and it convinces them that we should re-think this ban and let women decide for themselves, that would be awesome. As with any policy like this, you are not punishing women; you are punishing “normal” people, aka middle-class (that’s disappearing faster than polar ice caps) and lower-class people who don’t have the means. This movie doesn’t forget to show how money plays a big part in this situation and how much shit our protagonists must go through before it’s all over. Imagine now how this story would have looked if they came from a wealthy family. Still not that great, but much less struggle, right? Yep, that’s the point. Ban on abortion doesn’t ban abortions; it bans access to safe abortions.
Overall, Never Rarely Sometimes Always is a harsh watch, yet it is worth your time. It is as indie as it gets, but because of the craftiness of the people behind the camera and the acting talent of those in front of it, you never feel bored; you never think of the budget. You are there, in those couple of days, with these girls, one of whom is simply not ready to become a mom. And that is a good enough reason not to bring a baby to this world. This movie is one of those that hit you hard, but because of the two protagonists, there are genuinely beautiful moments that capture their relationship and our not-so-perfect world in all its madness. If you can, please see this movie.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
Until next time,
Luke