Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
| Never Rarely Sometimes Always | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Eliza Hittman |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | Eliza Hittman |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Julia Holter |
| Cinematography | Hélène Louvart |
| Edited by | Scott Cummings |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Focus Features |
Release date |
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Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | > $5 million[1] |
| Box office | $262,247[2][3] |
Never Rarely Sometimes Always is a 2020 drama film written and directed by Eliza Hittman. It stars Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder, Théodore Pellerin, Ryan Eggold and Sharon Van Etten. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020. It was also selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition section at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize.
The film was released in the United States on March 13, 2020, by Focus Features.
Plot[edit source]
17-year-old Autumn Callahan suspects she is pregnant and goes to a crisis pregnancy center. At the center, she takes a drug store test that confirms that she is 10 weeks pregnant. Ambivalent on her way forward, she is given literature on adoption and is shown an anti-abortion video.
After realizing that she is unable to get an abortion in Pennsylvania without parental consent, she tries to induce a miscarriage by swallowing pills and punching herself in the stomach. When those methods fail, she confides in her cousin, Skylar, that she is pregnant. Skylar steals cash from the grocery store where they work, and the two buy tickets to New York City.
On the bus they meet Jasper, a young man who is persistently interested in Skylar even though she tries to blow him off.
At the Planned Parenthood clinic, Autumn learns that the crisis pregnancy center lied to her about how far along she was and that she is actually 18 weeks pregnant. Though she is still able to get an abortion, she must go to a secondary clinic the following morning in order to have the abortion performed.
Autumn and Skylar spend an uncomfortable night riding the subway and playing games at an arcade. The following morning at the clinic, Autumn learns that a second-trimester abortion is a two-day procedure and that paying for the abortion will wipe out most of her funds. The counselor also asks her a series of questions about her sexual partners which reveal that Autumn's partners have been physically and sexually abusive.
Out of money, Skylar realizes the two have no way of going home. As Autumn refuses to let Skylar call either of their mothers, Skylar reaches out to Jasper, who takes them bowling and to karaoke. At the end of the night, Skylar asks Jasper to loan them the money for their bus tickets, which he agrees to. Skylar leaves with Jasper to find an ATM, and Autumn later goes looking for them. She finds them kissing behind a column. Realizing Skylar doesn't like it, Autumn grabs Skylar's hand from behind the column to comfort her.
In the morning, Autumn goes to her appointment and has the abortion. Autumn and Skylar go to a restaurant, where Skylar asks her questions about the procedure, but Autumn remains vague. The two ride a bus back to Pennsylvania.
Cast[edit source]
- Sidney Flanigan as Autumn
- Talia Ryder as Skylar
- Théodore Pellerin as Jasper
- Ryan Eggold as Ted
- Sharon Van Etten as Mother
- Kelly Chapman as Social Worker
- Kim Rios Lin as Anesthesiologist
- Drew Seltzer as Manager Rick
- Carolina Espiro as Financial Advisor
Production[edit source]
In April 2019, it was announced Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder, Théodore Pellerin, Ryan Eggold and Sharon Van Etten had joined the cast of the film, with Eliza Hittman directing from a screenplay she wrote. Adele Romanski and Sara Murphy will produce the film under their Pastel Productions banner, while Rose Garnett, Tim Headington, Elika Portnoy and Alex Orlovsky will executive produce the film under their BBC Films and Tango Entertainment banners respectively. Focus Features will distribute.[7]
Principal photography began in February 2019.[8]
Release[edit source]
It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020.[9] It was released in the United States on March 13, 2020.[10] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was released on video on demand on April 3, 2020.[11] Focus debated re-releasing the film theatrically but was concerned about competition once theaters re-opened.[12] It was released through video on demand in the United Kingdom on May 13, 2020, after being initially planned for a theatrical release.[13]
Reception[edit source]
In theaters, Never Rarely Sometimes Always grossed $16,565.[14]
Critical response[edit source]
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 99% based on 189 reviews, and an average rating of 8.58/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Powerfully acted and directed, Never Rarely Sometimes Always reaffirms writer-director Eliza Hittman as a filmmaker of uncommon sensitivity and grace."[15] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 91 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[16]
Accolades[edit source]
Never Rarely Sometimes Always competed at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival for the U.S. Dramatic Competition Grand Jury Prize, where it won a Special Jury Award for Neo-Realism.[17] The film was also selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition section at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival and won Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, the second most prestigious prize at the festival.[18]
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