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You Were Never Really Here
2017 89 min United Kingdom, France R 18+
★7.3
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Lynne Ramsay
📖 Based on the novel
«You Were Never Really Here»
byJonathan Ames
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Description
A traumatized veteran, unafraid of violence, tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, his nightmares begin to overtake him, and a conspiracy is uncovered—leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening.
Budget:
$17M
US Gross:
$2.53M
Worldwide:
$9.4M
Starring
Joaquin Phoenix
Actor
Judith Roberts
Actor
Ekaterina Samsonov
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2017
— Best Actor
Cannes Film Festival 2017
— Best Screenplay
BAFTA 2019
— Best British Film
Cannes Film Festival 2017
— Palme d'Or
Key opinion
You Were Never Really Here is a highly polarized stylistic exercise that relies more on atmosphere and mood than traditional narrative coherence. While Joaquin Phoenix’s performance is widely praised as visceral and haunting, many viewers find the plot thin, pretentious, and lacking the emotional depth required to sustain its experimental pacing.
| Acting | Joaquin Phoenix provides a grounded, haunting, and physically committed performance that serves as the film’s primary anchor. | |
| Score | Johnny Greenwood’s score is highly effective at building tension and creating a hypnotic, anxiety-inducing atmosphere. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography uses precise framing, color, and lighting to create a distinct, visceral aesthetic. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is criticized for being underdeveloped and relying on pretentious, vague symbolism that fails to deliver a coherent narrative. | |
| Pacing | The film’s reliance on minimalist, slow-burn pacing polarizes the audience, with some appreciating the contemplative tension while others find it boring and exhausting. | |
| Originality | The film is frequently compared to 'Taxi Driver' and 'Drive,' sparking debate over whether it functions as a meaningful, artful homage or merely a derivative collection of stylistic cliches. |