184. Never Rarely Sometimes Always; movie review

NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
Cert 15
101 mins
BBFC advice: Contains sexually abusive behaviour, domestic abuse


How can the American right-wing and pro-life groups claim to have Christianity on their side when so much of their doctrine is spiteful and selfish.
Eliza Hittman's powerful Never Rarely Sometimes Always shows how certain states fail to support their young people because of their unwavering commitment to political dogma.
Even when teenagers have been abused.
Seventeen-year-old Autumn Callahan (Sidney Flanigan) faces pressure to keep the baby of an unwanted pregnancy when she visits a crisis pregnancy centre.
No questions are even asked of how she has found herself in this position. Put simply, the baby's life is seen as more important than hers.
Meanwhile, she finds herself with nobody to talk to at home because of the undercurrent of sleaze laid down by the man who appears to be her step-father (Ryan Eggold).
The troubled home life is not mapped out with any precision but the fact is that she would need to have parental consent for a termination in her home state of Pennsylvania.
Consequently, she and her cousin (Talia Ryder) decide to go to New York so the abortion can be carried out without permission.
Hittman's film is a powerful marker of real life in downtrodden America - a face of the nation which isn't often seen in a mainstream movie.
It paints a grim picture of a young woman who has to travel hundreds of miles for a supportive adult in the absence of family back-up, any help from her employer or understanding at a clinic.
Even when she and her cousin arrive in New York they have to survive on pennies and avoid potential exploitation.
Flanigan, remarkable in her acting debut, is suitably untrusting and defensive in the lead role and grabs the audience hard when her emotions bubble to the surface.
I was also impressed by Ryder as the cousin who remains loyal despite receiving little thanks.
But the most impressive element of Never Rarely Sometimes Always is Hittman's writing.
Sure, we thought that the relationship between two best-friend teenagers seemed unusually timid but her attack on the American system which leaves children vulnerable to attack and exploitation is subtle and effective.
And the interview between Autumn and a New York doctor will live with us for quite a while.

Reasons to watch: A prod at the American conscience
Reasons to avoid: Long periods where little happens

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? In America, 37 states require some parental involvement, either in the form of parental consent or in the form of parental notification before an abortion. In certain situations, parental restrictions can be overridden by a court.

The final word. Sidney Flanigan: "Due to the obstacles it (abortion) can be kind of traumatising. I really hope that people can just take away that it's really painful the way they have it set up and I hope that they can stand in solidarity with other women." Hollywood Reporter

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