It’s not often that a piece of cinema is essentially required viewing for teenagers. Largely, they’re a moviegoing audience that takes in spectacle, though they certainly don’t go to the theaters as a monolith. However, they aren’t often exposed to a film that may well save their life. Never Rarely Sometimes Always is actually that kind of a movie. The latest work by filmmaker Eliza Hittman is far more than just a story of teen pregnancy. It’s a sobering look at what some states make you go through to get an abortion, as well as an absorbing character study. Moreover, it’s just one of 2020’s best so far. (Kudos to whomever got this a PG-13 rating, allowing the young viewers who will actually be impacted by this sort of event the opportunity to watch the movie) The film is a drama that sounds simple on the surface, but is actually anything but. At its core, this is about female adolescence in rural Pennsylvania, and namely how the odds are stacked against you. Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) seems like your average teenager. She goes to school, works as a cashier with her best friend and cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder), simply going about her days. Home life doesn’t seem great, and there’s a boy she has a complicated situation with, but when she finds out that she’s pregnant, that’s when things change. A visit to her local doctor results in subtle pushes for her to keep the baby, either for herself or to give up for adoption. Attempts to end the pregnancy herself don’t work, and when she begins to experience sickness, Skylar provides support. Together, they get on a bus to New York City, headed for Planned Parenthood. Unfortunately, things aren’t as simple as they’d thought, resulting in a multi-night stay in the city, which is well beyond their means. Autumn now has to worry about basic survival, as well as a procedure that will leave a lasting impact on her life, even if she knows she’s not ready to be a parent. Hittman writes and directs, with music by Julia Holter, as well as cinematography from Hélène Louvart. The small cast also includes Ryan Eggold, Théodore Pellerin, Sharon Van Etten, and others, though this is all about Flanigan, with the main support coming from Ryder. Count Barry Jenkins among the executive producers. I was absolutely blown away by Sidney Flanigan’s performance. […]