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I am always impressed when a new actor or actress comes along that has never appeared in anything before and completely blows me away. Sidney Flanigan, who stars as Autumn, a 17-year old pregnant girl in Pennsylvania in the film Never Rarely Sometimes Always, provided easily one of the best performances of the year so far. Flanigan is directed by Eliza Hittman, who was the writer and director of the 2017 film Beach Rats. Never Rarely Sometimes Rarely explores the hoops young women must go through when it comes to getting an abortion in the United States. After being able to stream instead of hitting movie theaters, like most films recently, this film quickly became one of the best films of the year.
Autumn is a quiet 17-year-old girl living in Pennsylvania who recently found out that she is pregnant. Not being able to get an abortion in her state without a parental consent, she travels to New York with her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) to get an abortion since the laws in New York are different. Autumn has limited money and time to get this procedure and quickly learns of the hoops she must jump through.
Director Eliza Hittman is focused on providing a realistic story for Autumn and telling the truth behind the women’s healthcare system. The topic of abortion is a touchy subject for many and can be hard to present on screen without sparking up a debate. Hittman wants to provide some insight rather than manipulate the audience. This leads to some powerful moments along Autumn’s long journey to get her procedure. Hittman’s directing is impressive as she creates an atmosphere that is somber, which matches the story for Autumn.
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Both Flanigan and Ryder give fantastic performances. Autumn rarely speaks in the film, but Flanigan can tell us a lot about her character without providing a lot of dialogue. Few times throughout the film when Autumn is unsure of her next decision in New York City, Flanigan can bring a sense of realism to the character and the scene. Matching Flanigan’s performance is Ryder, who joins Autumn on their trip to New York City. Skylar understands the situation Autumn is going through. She is often quiet but speaks up more when they meet a young man looking to have fun in New York City. Both Flanigan and Ryder give some of the best young performances I have seen in a long time and their melancholy performance was both realistic and heartbreaking.
A powerful scene between Autumn and someone in the healthcare system reveals the title when Autumn is asked questions about her situation and she must answer with never, rarely, sometimes, or always. This is where the film becomes tough to watch because Autumn reveals how she got pregnant and how she is treated. Besides having Skylar by her side, Autumn feels alone in her situation and finds comfort in talking about her pregnancy. Hittman can capture the struggles one may go through when trying to get an abortion in states that require a parent’s consent. With little money and limited time, the film always has a sense of urgency for the two young teenagers.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always will likely be a film that is discussed for some time. With its powerful acting and realistic story, it has become one of the more important films of 2020. Its not an easy film to watch but it provides a closer look at the women’s healthcare system with hopes of creating a change.
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