Abortion access is perhaps the one issue that has shaped American politics the most over the past 50 years. Much of the focus on the debate is over its morality and the ensuing political fallout of its legality. Much of the pro-choice faction in the abortion divide would argue that despite fighting vociferously for the right to choose to terminate a pregnancy, the actual decision to follow through with the procedure is never easy. Indeed, it seems the human component of making the decision to not bring a life into this world is often lost in the battle over abortion and the toll it undoubtedly has on a woman is overlooked. A new film seeks to rectify this and provide a glimpse into all the controversial issue entails.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always is set in a small town in Pennsylvania where awkward teenager Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) learns she has become pregnant unintentionally. Autumn decides that going through with the pregnancy isn’t in her best interests and decides an abortion is her best course of action but soon discovers that her local options are few and far between and would also require the consent of her mother. Soon, Autumn and her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) decide to travel across state lines to New York City in order to find care. Their resulting journey is fraught with displays of friendship, bravery and compassion.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always is one of the most all-encompassing looks at abortion both as a medical procedure and a humanistic experience. The audience is shown the entire process from beginning to end; from the positive pregnancy test to the moment when the patient leaves the medical office and must return to her life and deal with the aftermath. From the onset, the societal and environmental factors that lead to such a decision are made clear. Autumn’s lack of a support system in her life is made clear immediately, particularly through her relationship, or lack thereof, with her father. The film also manages to make its political points without being too on the nose or preachy, simply by adhering to its realistic character study and system examination format. Autumn and Skylar must travel from their small Pennsylvania town to New York City because of local laws requiring parental consent for the procedure. It’s not overtly stated but the discriminatory inconvenience this causes, and its source being local municipalities seeking to restrict women’s access to healthcare, is made clear simply through showing the facts rather some drawn out dramatic monologue from a character. This subtle realism serves to make the film’s point that much more stark. Similarly, once Autumn first realizes she is pregnant, she visits a local clinic for medical treatment and guidance. It is not until she reaches a Planned Parenthood in New York that we realize she visited a local pro-life crisis pregnancy center masquerading as an apolitical women’s health clinic who has lied to her about her pregnancy in addition to trying to steer her away from choosing to abort. Once more, this commentary on a real life problem is made subtly through simply depicting the issue as part of the process rather than something that has to be screamed loudly at the audience and this procedural look makes it all the more visceral than if we had been treated to a Lifetime Movie of the Week depiction of an pro-life advocated being confronted.
The film may feel too still or quiet for many viewers as director Eliza Hittman utilizes silence throughout, particularly early on where scenes go minutes at a time sans any dialogue. These quiet moments however, make the moments of pure emotion all the more powerful. The lingering sense of tension and anxiety onscreen are what makes Never Rarely Sometimes Always stick with you longer than many films post viewing. The most impactful scene in the film comes during Autumn’s screening visit in New York where she is asked questions about her background and sexual history. It is here where we see how the film gets its name, but more importantly some glimpses into the abuse and mistreatment in Autumn’s life that have led her to this moment and just how difficult the decision to abort a pregnancy is on women and the mental toll such a decision may have.
While its depiction of abortion and all that goes into making such a choice is the film’s main concern, Never Rarely Sometimes Always is as much about the power of female friendship as it is at a glimpse into the state of abortion access. Autumn is a young woman who is alone in a multitude of ways, but Skylar is there for her cousin when she is needed most and steps in to help her see the process through numerous times when obstacles that may have sent her back to Pennsylvania still pregnant pop up to derail Autumn’s decision. All major life decisions and obstacles that we encounter are made a little more manageable when people who love us are present and by our sides to help us through. For women specifically, navigating institutions, laws, and regulations designed to frustrate, the presence of a calm and loving friend or loved one can make getting through a little easier as this film so eloquently illustrates.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always is one of the best and most detailed depictions of the process of having an abortion and the human component of such a decision; so much so that it is a bit astonishing that more films like this haven’t been made, particularly in the modern era. What 1996’s Citizen Ruth did in exploring the political component of abortion, this film does in examining the personal, humanistic side of the procedure. It is both intimate and bombastic in its portrayal of all that goes into the decision, a testament to both writer/director Eliza Hittman and its main actors Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder. It should serve as a piece of work that will be referred to in seeking to create empathy for women facing this decision for years to come.
Image: Focus Features
