#SUNDANCE: “NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

When stoic teenager Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) unexpectedly gets pregnant she and her cousin, Skylar (Talia Ryder), bravely travel to New York City from their rural Pennsylvania hometown to get an abortion.

Writer-Director Eliza Hittman has made a quiet film that’s subtext is just as important as the written dialogue. The Film is predominantly made of all-consuming close-up shots that masterfully parallels the invasive process of finding a clinic, the questionnaire process and the procedure. First-time actor Flanigan is a force on screen. With minimal dialogue, her expressive face portrays the inner emotions that come along with this important decision. Her undeniable talent is shown in one of the hardest to watch scenes where she is being interviewed at the clinic before the procedure. Never Rarely Sometimes Always might be a tough-watch for some, but it’s a highly important film everyone should see.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always screens at Sundance on Fri, Jan. 24th at 6:30 PM at The Ray, Sat, Jan. 25th at 12 PM at Sundance Resort, Sun, Jan. 26th at 9 AM at Library Centre, Mon, Jan. 27th at 3:45 PM at Broadway Centre Cinema 3, Wed, Jan. 29th at 3:30 PM at Eccles, and Thur, Jan. 30th at 12:30 PM at Redstone Cinema 1.