Oscar Snub: The Powerful Performance In Never Rarely Sometimes Always

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Although the pandemic caused many movie releases to be delayed in 2020, it was still a strong year for film. As a result, the 2021 Academy Awards boasted impressive acting nominees, including Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Carey Mulligan, and eventual Best Actor winner Anthony Hopkins.

The awards celebrated a diverse range of films, from serious dramas like Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom to thrillers such as Promising Young Woman, and even comedies like Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. However, the smaller independent film Never Rarely Sometimes Always was equally impressive but didn’t receive the recognition it deserved at the Oscars.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always Was One Of 2020’s Best Movies

Let’s begin by understanding the film Never Rarely Sometimes Always. Written and directed by Eliza Hittman, it follows Autumn Callahan, a 17-year-old girl who discovers she’s pregnant. Because she needs parental consent to get an abortion in Pennsylvania, she travels with a friend to New York to access care.

The idea of teenagers facing difficult choices about pregnancy has been explored in recent films like Plan B and Unpregnant. While those movies lean towards comedy, Never Rarely Sometimes Always is a serious and dramatic portrayal. The film is consistently tense, as the characters navigate numerous challenges.

Though it wasn’t nominated for an Oscar, Never Rarely Sometimes Always is considered one of the best films of the year. Critics especially loved the acting, directing, and writing, and it boasts a remarkable 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sidney Flanigan Should’ve Been Nominated For Best Actress

While many believed Eliza Hittman deserved recognition for her screenplay or directing, the biggest surprise from the Academy Awards was the omission of Sidney Flanigan’s performance in Never Rarely Sometimes Always from the Best Actress nominations.

Flanigan makes a strong first impression as Autumn, giving a truly impactful performance. Though she’s excellent throughout the movie, one scene stands out as award-worthy. Late in the film, Autumn is undergoing an abortion and is subjected to personal and invasive questioning.

She has to answer questions with just one of four words – “never,” “rarely,” “sometimes,” or “always” – and the camera stays focused on her face the entire time. We watch Autumn as she reacts to each question, and they become increasingly difficult. The interviewer doesn’t ease up, and that makes the experience just as uncomfortable for the viewers.

It’s unclear who Flanigan would have replaced, considering Frances McDormand won that year and the nominees – Andra Day, Viola Davis, Vanessa Kirby, and Carey Mulligan – were all very strong contenders. However, overlooking Flanigan is a real loss, given her excellent performance in Never Rarely Sometimes Always.

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2026-02-18 21:59