A24 has just made back 215% of its $7 million budget new movie, in just 48 hours. The highly anticipated You Can See Everything is now the highest-rated movie on Letterboxd ever, with an average score of 4.6/5.0. This movie could also become the first documentary to ever be nominated for an Oscar. So what is so special about this movie? I saw this documentary on Monday, October 19, the second day after its big release, and here is everything you need to know before watching the best movie of the year, with no spoilers, of course.
Nathan Fielder, a comedian, actor, writer, and filmmaker, directed this documentary along with Lance Oppenheimer. The three-hour-long film follows Elizabeth Holmes. Before watching the film, I would familiarize yourself with who this is, if you do not know already. I would recommend watching The Dropout on Hulu and The Inventor: Out For Blood in Silicon Valley, which is available on multiple streaming platforms. In brief, Elizabeth Holmes was the CEO and founder of Theranos, a blood-testing company that used a machine called the Edison to run quick blood tests from a single drop of finger-prick blood. This invention was in the works of taking over the over $200 billion medical lab work industry, but Holmes was later charged with federal fraud and deceiving investors, doctors, and patients. As a public health-global health major and true crime fan, this case was naturally interesting and intriguing to me, however this documentary is certain to be mind blowing to a wide audience coming from a variety of backgrounds.
I would also familiarize yourself with the director, Nathan Fielder. I have been an avid Nathan Fielder fan for years and have watched all of his shows on HBO. He has a very unique comedic style, which is important to understand when going into this movie, but it is not necessary. I recommend watching season 1 of “The Rehearsal” to get a better understanding of who Nathan Fielder is, and why it is important that he was the one documenting Holmes just 34 days before she was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. After refusing to speak publicly for years, Holmes allowed Fielder into her home to document her life during this period, and what unfolds in the film is surreal. If you just watch the trailer, you already get a sense of the atmosphere and personalities of the individuals this movie focuses on.
There are a lot of spoilers going around on the internet, in film reviews, and on social media, but it is important to go into the movie as blind as possible, except for the background knowledge I suggested from above. By the end of the documentary, you will be entertained, shocked, in utter disbelief, and maybe even a bit confused. I have been thinking about what I watched all week and my friends and I cannot stop discussing it. So, if you are looking for something to do this weekend, want to support the theaters, or are just looking for an amazing film to watch, I would highly recommend You Can See Everything.