It’s easily to craft a compelling drama out of a story about abortion, considering the immense stress on usually a young woman, and then her support system and maybe partner. Because of that, many movies have been made about abortion, making it hard to make something fresh. Well Eliza Hittman said challenge accepted! Never Rarely Sometimes Always is another example in a line of many about how harrowing the process of getting an abortion is for everyone involved who knows about it.
Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) looks pretty normal, albeit, sad, on the surface: a sullen teen pissed at an ex surrounded by a family that doesn’t notice or care about her that much. However, underneath that stoic exterior a LOT is going on: Autumn is pregnant, but clearly doesn’t want to have this baby for reasons the movie gets into later. In Pennsylvania, where she lives, because she’s a minor, she needs parental consent to abort, which her parents will NOT provide without some gigantic family drama. Desperate, she reaches out to her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) who works with her at the supermarket. Together they hatch a plan to go to a Planned Parenthood in New York City, hoping to get the procedure done quickly without anyone noticing.
Eliza Hittman makes Never Rarely Sometimes Always special by Martianing and modernizing the stresses of getting an abortion. In this movie’s case, the fretting over getting an abortion isn’t the stressful part. It’s actually finding out how to obtain one. If you’re from a poor, conservative town, the town’s services amount to adoption consideration and grotesque videos dissuading you from your decision. No help there. So that means, you’ve gotta go out of town, and in Autumn’s case, out of state, because Pennsylvania, she finds out, requires adults to sign off on any abortions on a legal minor. Autumn and Skylar then have to risk their jobs by “miscounting” the cash register dollars and bolting for New York, because that’s the only way to get they money they need for the bus fare/appointment. But like the Martian, new problems keep coming up the pair have to solve. What if additional follow ups are necessary? What if it’s past closing time? Where the hell can they sleep? Do they have enough money to do this? Hittman matter of factly goes about answering each of these questions, sometimes horribly uncomfortably so. The power of Never Rarely Sometimes Always is these problems seems so tiny if it were just the one complication, but each exceeding wrinkle pushes Skylar and Autumn to their breaking point, making the literal baggage they carry back and forth in the city that much heavier and burdensome.
It also helps that Hittman cast two great leads. Sidney Flanagan carries the weight of a world of problems completely internally. The talented actress shows this weight by making normal tasks seem energy zapping: walking up stairs looks like Flanagan’s feet are stuck in mud. She doesn’t really interact with anyone unless she’s forced to, and when she is, the answers are given directly, without emotion. There’s one giant exception: her Oscar moment, where the floodgates almost burst, and Flanagan rivets by letting tears and silence speak for her instead of herself. It’s brilliant in its restraint. Talia Ryder is equally wonderful as Autumn’s cousin in crime. Not only is Skylar leading the way on their journey, she is also holding the heavy suitcase while doing so, carrying the literal and metaphorical baggage for her crestfallen exhausted cousin/sister (metaphorical). Ryder does all the heavy lifting emotionally, using her inner strength and every skill she has to help resolve this situation, including putting her body on the line. Talia shines brightest when interacting with Flanagan. Neither needs to say please or thank you; there is the task at hand, and both focus on that, with Skylar being sweet and encouraging to Autumn to keep her hope up, and propel her to do what is necessary. The girls’ gestures, sometimes miniscule, create the power of Never Rarely Sometimes Always, showing us their courage, determination, and love for one another in trying to help someone in need.
Even if 2020 movie releases weren’t fleeing to later dates, Never Rarely Sometimes Always would be high on my must see list. I’m actually quite happy this movie came out this year. In a year where we all feel like Autumns, it’s a good time to find the Skylars in your life; those people you can call on in a time of need and rise to the occasion to help you because they love you, no questions asked.