Empire Magazine Description you were never here as “dark, disturbing and difficult” may well be an understatement. In fact, this crime drama movie, which is one of the thousands of movies you can stream on Prime Video, also known as one of the best streaming services in the world, was a huge hit with critics, but it turned out deeply divisive among the public. How is that? Mainly because it is a In fact tough surveillance.
For the uninitiated: Based on Jonathan Ames' 2013 novel of the same name, it's the story of a hitman (played by Joaquin Phoenix) hired to rescue a young woman (Ekaterina Samsonov) from a brothel. Oh, and she needs to kill everyone else in said place.
What in other hands would be a typical hitman movie is something very different, thanks in part to the brutal creative and artistic vision of director Lynne Ramsay and the multifaceted performance of Phoenix. Together, they deliver a heart-pounding action drama that will live in your head long after the credits have rolled.
What made You Were Never Really Here so disturbing?
In plain: it is violent. Incredibly, in fact. But so are many other thrillers, so what's different here? You were never really here It focuses on both psychological and physical pain, concentrating more on the aftermath of violence than on the beatings themselves. It is a film centered on a deeply traumatized man who not only channels said trauma, but is also transformed by it. Heck, even those who gave positive reviews have described her journey as “hellish,” including Screen Junkies, which opined, “This is a beautifully acted and told story that is absolutely twisty, but delightfully twisty to watch.”
Others suggest it's easier to admire than love, including Entertainment Weekly. In fact, the website's reviewers noted that while “there's no doubt that what you're watching is a masterfully made film,” it's “easier to admire from afar than up close.” That is also practically the general consensus, with You were never really here be a disturbing but rewarding film; one that is hypnotic, challenging and far from the usual action movie fare. As The Hub on Screen put it: “You could describe You were never really here as a hitman thriller, but it doesn't do justice to the dazzling ways in which Scottish director Lynne Ramsay…takes Jonathan Ames's novel and transforms it into a tender, fragmented nightmare.”
Writing for The New Zealand Herald, Toby Woolaston added: “It's a rich mix of brutal beauty combined with a mesmerizing electronic score, all wonderfully balanced by Joaquin's physical performance – it's fascinating stuff and Ramsay's sensual style of storytelling is undeniably compelling. “. . One for our list of the best Prime Video movies? Maybe, but it probably won't pique the interest of many fans.
