No. 66. (2020) NEVER, RARELY, SOMETIMES, ALWAYS. October 26th.

 

Film No. 66 (2020)  October 26th.  6:30 PM.  Cinema 5  LUNA Leederville.

"Whatever your decision is, is totally fine, as long as it is yours".(New York social worker, played brilliantly by Kelly Chapman, reassures Autumn that she is safe in her care).

Powerful, naturalistic cinema, parcelled up to make a point about a topic as important as the right to abortion in the U.S., is not an easy watch, but Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always is a compelling experience. It is spellbinding but so beautifully under played; our heroes say so little but tell us so much.

Eliza Hittman (Beach Rats) is a film-maker who prides herself on telling important stories. She is not prolific but she is thorough. Sidney Flanigan is Autumn, the central character. Flanigan has never performed in a feature film before. How could this be possible? Talia Ryder, Autumn's cousin and reliable friend, is Skylar. Ryder is only partially more experienced than Flanigan. She too is stunningly good. But I guess that is the point of Hittman's casting; her actors are raw and achingly believable. 

Both Autumn and Skylar come from the Pennsylvania "rust belt". A Trump stronghold of the 2016 election. I had to check it wasn't a 60's costume drama, given the attitudes on show in the first 30 minutes. Autumn suspects that she's pregnant and she's right. She's brave and she's got a real friend in her cousin, Skyler. This is fortunate as she needs to terminate her pregnancy and it can't be done in her home state. The next seventy minutes is time we spend travelling with these extremely likeable young ladies. It's a journey which is both haunting and revealing. Then there is a scene (you'll know it)which will have you thinking about our heroes, days later.      

Naturalism, with shaky camera (not overly so) is not everyone's "cup of tea". I was aware of the camera action for no more than 5 minutes before the film drew me in. I was so pleased to be captured so thought provokingly by Hittman. It is such a simple film with such complicated undertones. Cinema devotees of screen work of the diverse kind shouldn't miss this.  11GUMS.