Nathan Fielder’s Elizabeth Holmes Documentary ‘You Can See Everything’ Scores 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
Nathan Fielder has made a name for himself by blurring the lines between documentary and performance, utilizing his deadpan interviewing style to reveal uncomfortable truths from unsuspecting subjects. Teaming up with Lance Oppenheim, a filmmaker known for his captivating and boundary-pushing nonfiction work, was always destined to yield something extraordinary.
Their collaboration finally came to light under mysterious circumstances at this year’s Telluride Film Festival, where a surprise screening generated excitement comparable to any officially announced title. When the film was finally revealed, audiences were met with an unexpected surprise.
The film, titled ‘You Can See Everything,’ is an intimate, three-year documentary that chronicles the life of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in the weeks leading up to her imprisonment. It has debuted with an impressive 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes based on its initial ten reviews. Such unanimous acclaim is rare for any film, especially one centered around a figure as polarizing as Holmes.
The documentary captures Holmes and her partner Billy Evans, who welcomed Fielder and Oppenheim’s small crew into their home just thirty-four days before Holmes began serving her federal prison sentence for defrauding investors. What started as a straightforward access documentary evolved into a three-year filming journey, following the couple beyond that initial period into a narrative that is both strange and expansive.
Critics have found it challenging to categorize ‘You Can See Everything,’ with many suggesting it resembles reality television more than traditional documentary filmmaking. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman noted this ambiguity, describing the project as a unique blend of reality TV and psychodrama, a sentiment echoed in his review for Variety.
Tomris Laffly from RogerEbert.com also praised the film, awarding it a perfect score and suggesting it might pioneer a new cinematic language in mainstream nonfiction. This perspective positions the film as something genuinely innovative rather than just another true-crime documentary, contributing to the growing buzz ahead of its theatrical release.
The film also features Amanda Seyfried, who previously won an Emmy for her portrayal of a younger Holmes in the limited series ‘The Dropout.’ Her involvement adds an intriguing layer to a project already focused on themes of performance, authenticity, and the construction of public narratives around real individuals.
At two hours and fifty-four minutes, ‘You Can See Everything’ demands a significant time investment from viewers, but early reactions indicate that its unconventional structure justifies the length. Critics and festival attendees have described the experience as consistently engaging, with social media reactions following its Telluride debut expressing genuine astonishment at the film’s unfolding.
Fielder and Oppenheim faced real limitations on their access to Holmes once she entered prison, yet they found innovative ways to continue the story despite these challenges, integrating them into the film’s broader thematic exploration. ‘You Can See Everything’ is set for a theatrical release from A24 on October 16, providing audiences their first opportunity to experience the project beyond the festival circuit. Given the film’s unanimous critical acclaim and its bizarre premise, it is poised to become one of the most discussed documentary releases of the year.
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