Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
You Were Never Really Here follows traumatized veteran Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) whose job of tracking down a missing girl goes bad and a conspiracy is uncovered.
Phoenix is a force of nature as the tormented and violent Joe. With minimal dialogue Phoenix is forced the used his expressions and body language to display what Joe is feeling. And the range he displays in this Film is a tremendous feat. From being a caring son taking care of his mother, to a broken man still traumatized from his childhood and war, and then the killing machine he becomes to save missing girls.
The character of Joe is written unapologetically by Writer-Director Lynne Ramsey who also directs the Film with fearlessness. What also makes You Were Never Really Here special is that Ramsey has crafted a Hitman Thriller that is a character study, rather than one solely about violence.
You Were Never Really Here screens at Sundance on Jan. 19 at 9:15PM at The Grand SLC, Jan. 21 at 8:30PM at The MARC PC, Jan. 23 at 11:45PM at The Egyptian PC, and Jan. 27 at 6PM at PC Library.
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