by Joseph Perry and Mike Imboden
In our “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict” film reviews, Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. For this installment, it’s Never Have I Ever by Damon Rickard and Raedar Productions.
Synopsis
Sam (Andrew Lee Potts) is having a terrible day. He is late delivering a screenplay and the threat of being forced to repay his advance looms ominously over him as he simply doesn't have the money left. But his day goes from bad to worse when a variety of strange things start happening. From simply losing his wallet to seemingly having multiple break-ins to his home. Then a chance encounter with counselor Mara (Beatrice Fletcher) whilst drowning his sorrows sends his day in directions he couldn't possibly have anticipated.
The Good
Joseph: Potts and Fletcher put on a veritable acting clinic, and they have a deliciously wicked screenplay from director Rickard, Potts (Additional Material), and Mitch Bain (Additional Dialogue) with which to work. Never Have I Ever is largely a two-hander with the pair of main actors, and it’s a cat-and-mouse nerve-jangler that gets increasingly darker and more disturbing as events unfold. When you think you know exactly where things are headed, Rickard and company take things in unexpected directions.
Mike: Never Have I Ever does a great job with setting expectations for its characters before giving them makeovers and showing sides we didn’t expect upon the introductions and initial first impressions. On one hand we have Sam who is the type of guy you hang out with because he’s always going to make you look good due in no small part to his put-upon, jerkishness. On the other is Mara who is the type of gal you hang out with because she makes you look like one lucky SOB. Both are played to perfection by (Andrew Lee Potts and Beatrice Fletcher, respectively) as they each shift gears more than once, elevating a rather mediocre and somewhat predictable - yet still engaging - script.
The Bad
Joseph: I found the initial set-up to be on the rather slow side, during which time viewers will establish that Sam is a self-absorbed sad sack who we wouldn’t want to spend much time with in real life. Hang in there, though, as a second take on matters is introduced, stirring the pot and making the initial wait well worth it.
Mike: To say that Never Have I Ever is a slow burn is a bit of an understatement. While not necessarily bad per se, I feel a fair number of viewers will find things crawling for the first act and may lose patience before things shift gears and get exponentially more interesting.
There’s also the matter of the rather easy-to-suss-out script which may find some folks figuring things much earlier than they should to truly appreciate the reveals, of which there are a few good ones.
The Verdict
Joseph: Seasoned genre-film aficionados may have an inkling for the ultimate destination of Never Have I Ever, but the journey holds a good deal of surprises. Though the majority of the film is spent with conversations between Sam and Mara in a pub, Rickard keeps the proceedings from feeling stagey or confined to a single-setting by balancing things with some important secondary characters and a few other locations used to good measure. Recommended for genre-film fans who like some unanticipated plot developments and an air of mystery.
Mike: Top notch performances lift Never Have I Ever from mediocrity that results from an acutely slow first act and a somewhat predictable script. However, both of these ‘Bad’ aspects should be overlooked to fully enjoy an engaging story with a couple of good reveals within its ninety minute run time.
If you’re looking for a decent thriller you should take the time to check this one out.
Never Have I Ever
Directed By: Damon Rickard
Written By: Damon Rickard, Andrew Lee Potts, Mitch Bain
Starring: Andrew Lee Potts, Beatrice Fletcher, Amber Doig-Thorne, Matt McClure
Run Time: 1h 37m
Rating: NR
Release Date: August 25, 2024 (U.K.)
[No trailer was available at the time of this review]
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