Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Talia Ryder Director: Eliza Hittman Eliza Hittman

Overview

Writer-director Eliza Hittman's poignant coming-of-age drama stars Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder, Th?odore Pellerin, Ryan Eggold and Sharon Van Etten. A 17-year-old girl travels from a rural Pennsylvania town to New York City with her cousin to get an abortion (since a local abortion would require her parent's permission). Bureaucratic hurdles force both teenagers to remain in the city for far longer than they expected.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/09/2020
UPC:	0191329136461
Original Release:	2020
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Universal Studios
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:41:00
Sales rank:	49,046

Special Features

English SDH subtitles; Descriptive Video Service

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Talia Ryder	Skylar
Sharon Van Etten	Mother
Aurora Richards	Little Sister,Little Sister
Ryan Eggold	Ted
Sidney Flanigan	Autumn
Brian Altemus	Rowdy Student
Lizbeth MacKay	Receptionist #1
Mia Dillon	Women's Centre Director
Amy Tribbey	Shamokin Technician
Bill Vila	Bus Driver #2
Théodore Pellerin	Jasper
Bryse Gregory	Security Guard #1
Denise Pillott	Receptionist #2
Sipiwe Moyo	Social Worker #1
April Szykeruk	Wilkes-Barre Technician
Jingjing Tian	Bakery Employee
Guy A. Fortt	Security Guard #2
Carolina Espiro	Financial Person
Kelly Chapman	Social Worker #2
Frank Chavez	Greyhound Bus Ticket Seller
Michael Erik	Bowling Alley Person
Alana Barrett-Adkins	Nurse
Drew Seltzer	Manager Rick
Alexander Carney	Hall Monitor
Lester Greene	Bus Driver #1
Deepti Menon	Hotel Receptionist
Luz Ozuna	Receptionist #4
Brett Puglisi	Talent Show Audience Member
Julia Holter	Composer

Technical Credits

Eliza Hittman	Director
Lia Buman	Executive Producer
Mark Ceryak	Executive Producer
Rose Garnett	Executive Producer
Tim Headington	Executive Producer
Alex Orlovsky	Executive Producer
Sara Murphy	Producer
Elika Portnoy	Executive Producer,Producer
Barry Jenkins	Executive Producer
Salome Oggenfuss	Casting
Geraldine Baron-Visher	Casting
Chris Foster	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Writer/director Eliza Hittman (Beach Rats) brings her story of what it is like to be a teenage girl to the screen in the stark, sometimes painful Never Rarely Sometimes Always. While it does make a point of how disjointed and traumatic the experience of seeking an abortion must be for a teen, it also struggles to be particularly interesting. Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) is a typical 17-year-old teenager growing up in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, she has an apathetic mother and a father who is condescending and dismissive. So, when Autumn finds out she is pregnant, she feels her only option is abortion, but she cannot get one without parental consent. As a result, Autumn and her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) plan a bus trip to New York City to gain help without anyone else's knowledge. The script is almost like a found-footage film, focusing primarily on Autumn or her point-of-view. Following her actions seems more like an intrusion into something very private than a sympathetic story. In what starts as a refreshing change from typical films, there is more reality to the things characters say and do. Still, as the tale continues, it becomes apparent why most scripts leave out the common parts of daily life and focus on the meat. The mundane ultimately becomes a distraction rather than an attraction. The focus being solely on Autumn is a solid tact, but she never reveals enough of herself. This lack of closure on almost every hinted-at detail leaves one with a feeling of dissatisfaction. Hittman understands the characters and the story much more than the audience will. Despite the lack of substance, her direction is well-executed. There is a fluid honesty to the performances, particularly in the youthful awkwardness of the three leading characters. Newcomer Flanigan and the more experienced Ryder excel at portraying teens who are only just beginning to see the reality of the adult world. This skill is where both the script and the acting excel. The nuance of a perfectly directed expression goes much further than brilliant dialogue ever could. Still, there are some dropped moments where the adults would know better than what the script implies, and this pulls the viewer away from the more crucial points they are trying to convey. Like the other favorable qualities of this film, the cinematography is subtle but powerful. It is more like a friend with a cell phone, recording Autumn without her knowledge, than a person behind a camera with an actress reciting dialogue. This aspect is another asset that makes an otherwise dull script work on a minimal level. Never Rarely Sometimes Always is not an easy film to watch, and not just because of the content. The concept is sometimes good, and the acting and directing are always on spot. A movie with these features is rarely worth missing. Unfortunately, in this case, the tale itself never gets off the ground.