You Were Never Really Here

Amazon Studios | Release Date: April 6, 2018

7.3	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 326 Ratings

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User Reviews

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KenRMay 29, 2019

Could those who gave this a ‘standing ovation’ have been abusing substances or on the payroll of the promoters? This again proves you may be able to fool some of the people, some of the time. I’d suggest the producers, B.F.I., Amazon Studios,Could those who gave this a ‘standing ovation’ have been abusing substances or on the payroll of the promoters? This again proves you may be able to fool some of the people, some of the time. I’d suggest the producers, B.F.I., Amazon Studios, etc, would have lost considerable sums of money with this pretend movie. As this overly convoluted maze progresses it makes you wonder how Joaquin Phoenix and other cast, managed to keep a straight face (might have been interesting to have seen their faces while they read the script) At times it looks as if the editor and director threw some footage in the air and spliced it together in the order it landed – then, attempted to copy Kubrick during one of his worst moments. In one scene, Phoenix jumps into a country lake and proceeds to endlessly sink into the deepest abyss (a-la Atlantic Ocean) who makes these foolish ‘technical’ decisions? The graphic violence (whether on or off screen) is as off-putting as the snail pacing and lack of worthy script - what sparse dialogue is uttered, is so poorly recorded and articulated most is unintelligible. Director/screenplay writer Lynne Ramsay has to shoulder much of the blame for this morbid failure to connect with a thinking audience (in preference to appealing to a nebulose, artsy bunch). While there may have been some stylish photography much of it looked like the operator forgot to turn off the camera between takes – with someone then thinking it looked so trendy they used it several times over. Mostly for those who want to read more into each scene than is articulated on screen or simply want to justify what they ‘think’ they understood, otherwise, a miserable experience that stretches its 85min R/T into tediously grotesque boredom and wastes a Phoenix performance.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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RenovatiaJan 7, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Slow movie, clap trap, aiming at winning prizes, and it did win some. The movie is a slow burning movie where the protagonist is shown to do nothing for too long far too often. That's artsy it and critics love it. It's a story of a hardened but messed up Gen-x man saving little girls from abductions and being used.

It's a very tame movie, nothing happens but some shaky-cam fight scenes and staring at the protagonist doing nothing of interest because - again - that's artsy. More importantly, it's a paper thin movie; Tough son of a gun saves cute teen girl. Does most of the time nothing, does a bit of investigation and saves a girl. End of movie. Standing ovation. Wins prizes. Critics write raving reviews.

Also, considering the fact that Hollywood and their faux indie community are infested with pedos, it's eerie to watch a movie about this produced by them.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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TVJerryApr 24, 2018

Joaquin Phoenix seems to be reveling in this self-indulgent character study that's both ambiguous and tedious. He's some kind of hired hammer (which he uses instead of guns) who sets out to retrieve a young girl from sex slavery. But notJoaquin Phoenix seems to be reveling in this self-indulgent character study that's both ambiguous and tedious. He's some kind of hired hammer (which he uses instead of guns) who sets out to retrieve a young girl from sex slavery. But not before we suffer with lots of lingering personal moments and confusing flashbacks. While director Lynne Ramsay has created an elaborate display of technique and style, the experimental approach is more frustrating than enlightening or entertaining. The soundtrack adds another edgy element. This may appeal to hardcore fans of the bearded, burly Phoenix or lovers of unfulfilled weirdness.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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WarrenXMay 3, 2018

Slow pacing throughout ruined the film for me.
Too much action takes place off screen. The sound design with annoying screeching and seemingly random use of stingers make viewing tedious my party considered walking out. Thankfully theSlow pacing throughout ruined the film for me.
Too much action takes place off screen. The sound design with annoying screeching and seemingly random use of stingers make viewing tedious my party considered walking out. Thankfully the experience is only a hour and a half.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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68yrreptsAug 26, 2018

This movie was a big piece of **** devastatingly boring. Just watch the trailer and save yourself a call to the suicide hotline

2 of 12 users found this helpful210

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AlexSnyderApr 6, 2018

This is beyond boring and secondarily. Drive + Leon The Professinal + Sin City + Great Equalizer + some confusing flashbacks. I forced myself to sleep so i could endure this garbage in movie theater.

5 of 32 users found this helpful527

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CirceSep 1, 2018

You spend half the movie trying to figure out what's going on, in the end you're left saying "that's it?" All held together by an incredibly weak premise with virtually no exposition.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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GreatMartinApr 27, 2018

Everybody must go to see this movie and then tell me what it is about! As soon as I got home I went to read some reviews and only if I give spoilers to explain what some of them saw and I didn't could I explain my puzzlement.

I went to seeEverybody must go to see this movie and then tell me what it is about! As soon as I got home I went to read some reviews and only if I give spoilers to explain what some of them saw and I didn't could I explain my puzzlement.

I went to see this movie only because Joaquin Phoenix is in it (and the 2 stars are for him) and I believe he is a very underappreciated actor by the general public but, justifiably, is appreciated by the critics. Though I never understood why he is the mess he is--that is NOT a spoiler--in his performance, you can see he is a tortured man and I could give you a dozen guesses as to why he is but there is no way that I could validate even one after seeing the movie. You can see and understand the few, very, few tender emotions he shows in one scene with his mother and another with a young girl.

There is a lot of violence, destruction, terror and blood in this film both on and off the screen from guns to hammers to knives to physical hand to hand brutality.

I don't know nor understand the director and writer Lynne Ramsay's reason for this movie and/or what it is about but I was impressed by the movie's score by Johnny Greenwood which at times, when needed, loud, booming and provides rhythm to what is happening.

Please, if YOU see it email me and tell me what it is all about or maybe I was never really there or Phoenix was never really here! Movie Trailer… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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notlawDec 29, 2019

This movie was absolute garbage. I'm never getting the time spent watching this **** back. I cannot believe what is starting to pass as a great movie these days. I watched this after seeing someone say it is a better movie than john wick 3. IThis movie was absolute garbage. I'm never getting the time spent watching this **** back. I cannot believe what is starting to pass as a great movie these days. I watched this after seeing someone say it is a better movie than john wick 3. I dont know how a person can even compare them as movies. I feel like this had the potential to be something good instead the director just put a bunch of random scenes together and called it a day. It's hard to put into words how much I hated this ****ty movie.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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mistaoononymousJun 28, 2020

Looks great, brilliant soundtrack. Shame about the movie. Too many arthouse cinematographers failing to work with decent directors and writers these days.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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BigmurphkJun 19, 2022

Visually adept. That's the best thing to be said about this slow, never quite gets there, piece of cinema.

There's at least 185 establishing shots of the protagonist attempting suicide in the first 30 mins alone. It's over the top edgelordVisually adept. That's the best thing to be said about this slow, never quite gets there, piece of cinema.

There's at least 185 establishing shots of the protagonist attempting suicide in the first 30 mins alone. It's over the top edgelord vibe doesn't fit the genre of film, any more than the slow as molasses pacing.

There is a ham fisted attempt to use obnoxious ear splitting racket to set the mood, but rather than subtly making you uncomfortable the extreme changes in volume and pitch just completely destroy any immersion you find in the film. That is until, about a year and a half into the movie something actually happens, then of course the director chooses to go virtually silent with the audio.

This film is as confused as a virgin at hedonism, and that's saying something.You Never Really Care… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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