Who would've thought that the guy we were watching on Comedy Central 10 years ago would create what might be the first-ever documentary to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars? After The Rehearsal, it was clear he could do anything he set his mind to.
I was lucky enough to be among the first to see You Can See Everything in theaters. I didn't go to a festival screening or a Thursday night premiere, but I saw it Sunday night of opening weekend, which was early enough to avoid a barrage of spoilers. It played in only 855 theaters the first weekend, but this past weekend it expanded to around 2600. It only made $5 million less last weekend than the newest superhero movie, Clayface, on its opening weekend, which is quite a feat for a documentary. I wouldn't be surprised if it surpasses Michael Moore's most successful documentary as the most successful non-music documentary of all time! The movie is so popular in NYC, it's virtually impossible to get tickets for screenings that aren't in the middle of the workday. I feel pretty smart that I grabbed my tickets before everyone and their mother was giving it 5 stars on Letterboxd.
I loved this movie because it didn't do what all the other books, documentaries, and TV shows about Elizabeth Holmes did. It wasn't interested in listing her crimes or telling their story. The movie assumes that we, the audience, already know the extent of her crimes. It was more interested in exploring how someone can be as deceitful as she is while still denying she ever lied. She presents herself as an open book (hence the title), yet it's so obvious that she and her nefarious husband Billy are hiding so much of what is actually going on with them. She got away with what she did because she is manipulative and charming, and what she says inspires doubt. Watching this movie, I wondered whether she was telling the truth, lying, or telling a truth that wasn't true.
You Can See Everything wouldn't be what it is without Nathan Fielder's involvement. He is actually the funniest man alive, and he can bring levity to an investigation of two people who take themselves extremely seriously. I was so shocked that they agreed to let him do a documentary on them in the first place, given his previous work. Liz told Nathan that she had seen the famous clip of him at the gas station from Nathan For You, but didn't indicate that she had seen any other shows from the Nathan Fielder cinematic universe. If you've seen the movie, it makes sense that she mentions the gas station instead of the actual notable part of this scene (if you forgot, it's about a grandson). I wonder if Nathan Fielder is now too famous to keep doing the work he does, but I'd assume he'll just go bigger next time, like he did this time.
If you have watched every single thing that Nathan Fielder has ever done, and you don't plan on stopping anytime soon, then these Nathan Fielder memes are for you.