I wrote this on 10/03/17:
Amazon studios has given the critically acclaimed "You Were Never Really Here" a pitiful release date, set for next February 24th. Are you kidding me? You should have heard the critics after the Cannes screening I attended back in May, they were doing backflips for this Joaquin Phoenix-starring movie in which he plays a veangeful hitman. Many were even thinking it might win the Palme D'or. It currently has an 88 Metacritic score, which is pretty impressive considering none of the competition at this year's Cannes received a higher score.
EDIT: Andrei Zvyagintsev's "Loveless" also received a score of 88.
What does this all mean for director Lynne Ramsay's film? Well, that it has an uphill climb to be noticed in February considering many critics are off that time of the year or have come back from Sundance and are taking a break from watching movies. There's also the fact that if Ramsay's film wants to be noticed come awards time, people will have to remember the film 9+ months hence after its initial release date. Terrible decision from Amazon, hopefully the film won't be ignored because it's an original vision Ramsay has given us and well worth a look.
Here's what I wrote about the film this past Cannes:
"I saw Lynne Ramsay’s latest film twice at Cannes. A rarity for me, but a case could be made for Ramsay’s film to be dissected as it packs a whole can of worms in its 83 minute running time. Joaquin Phoenix plays a war veteran who now works as a hitman. His attempt to save a young girl from a sex trafficking ring becomes very complicated once he uncovers a political conspiracy lurking beneath it. The editing is the real sell here as Ramsay tries an experimental approach through quickly snipped flashbacks and voiceover. She finds ways to show as little as possible, but say as much as is needed, building up her main character in ways that feel like the story is being told through his subconscious. Heady stuff, but masterfully done and a groundbreaker if there ever was one at Cannes."
Official Synopsis:
"A missing teenage girl. A brutal and tormented enforcer on a rescue mission. Corrupt power and vengeance unleash a storm of violence that may lead to his awakening."