Jonathan Ames and Lynne Ramsay on any credit list guarantee a dynamic duo of narrative storytelling. One is a prolific crime-fiction author-cum-exhibitionist, and the other is one of the most masterful and thoughtful filmmakers of the twenty first century. It is no secret that You Were Never Really Here is one of the most anticipated films of 2018, and it certainly lives up to most hype.
Lynne Ramsey’s adaption of Jonathan Ames’ acclaimed novella has rendered a near-perfect crime film. Although in being adapted from novella to screenplay, Ames’ distinct voice becomes somewhat muddied – this may come as a letdown for fans of his more irreverent work. The heart of the story shines through the film’s aesthetic. Ames’ prose has been interpreted into striking visuals and a gritty sound design, paying a loving homage to the well-worn genre.
The cinematography is exquisitely executed – even a single static shot of a hammer displayed in a hardware store is packed with menacing intent. This is enhanced by the sound composition by Johnny Greenwood. The effect is a fully realised atmosphere that shows without telling.
Tight editing and minimal dialogue keep the running time down to a palatable and action packed 90 minutes. This is enough time to enjoy the nuanced performance by Joaquin Phoenix as Joe, the quiet and damaged detective. Phoenix us joined by young gun Ekaterina Samsonov, who thoughtfully portrays Nina, a girl forced into human trafficking. The characters portrayed are minimalist portraits of two individuals who have suffered different forms of trauma and abuse.
Special mention should be made for Ramsay’s subversion of the genre’s disposition towards graphic violence. A bold choice has been made to reframe onscreen violence from distant perspectives. One anticipated fight scene is viewed entirely from the lens of CCTV surveillance footage. The director removes the audience from the thick of it and instead opts for gratuitous and intimate scenes that depict violence against the self. Several tough to watch scenes focus on Phoenix’s protagonist contemplating and attempting suicide. These scenes are harrowing and grotesque, I strongly advise against this film to those who experience triggering suicidal thoughts.
Despite being a film with a plot involving human trafficking, this is hardly what the story is about. The protagonist’s internal conflict with his own trauma is the main focus of the story told. And it is the focus on Joe as a victim of trauma that falls down in this film. Suicide and sex trafficking of children are two mammoth topics and ultimately it feels cold when one wins the focus. Audiences are left feeling hollow when the predicament of Nina’s character is only superficially explored. A lack of resolution to internal struggle implies that both characters are doomed to be victims of circumstance rather than survivors. It’s a holistic film, that reminds us of cbut Jesus its bleak.
Camilla Turnbull – On the Town.
