I’m sipping my coffee and reading about the new documentary “You Can See Everything”, which just had the biggest box office opening for a documentary in over 20 years. Folks, that’s a pretty big deal. The film, directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, made over $15 million in ticket sales, despite being shown on fewer than 900 screens. I guess people really wanted to see what all the fuss is about.
The film is about Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of Theranos, and her attempts to convince the filmmakers of her innocence. I mean, who doesn’t love a good underdog story, right? The film’s distributor, A24, is calling it “one of the largest limited-release openings of the 21st century”. That’s a mouthful, but I suppose it’s a nice way of saying it’s doing really well.
Many weekend screenings in cities like New York and Los Angeles were sold out, despite the film’s three-hour running time. I guess people are really invested in the story of Elizabeth Holmes and her partner Billy Evans. The film has an extraordinarily high 99% “fresh score” on Rotten Tomatoes and a record-high 4.8 rating on Letterboxd. That’s impressive, to say the least.
The film’s success is being hailed as a game-changer for documentaries. CNN’s David Mack wrote that it “has rewritten the rules of documentaries as we know them”. I’m not sure if I’d go that far, but it’s definitely an interesting film. The fact that it opened on fewer than 900 screens and still managed to make over $15 million is pretty remarkable.
Theatergoers clearly wanted to find out for themselves what all the fuss is about. “You Can See Everything” enjoyed the biggest opening for a film on fewer than 1,000 screens since “Borat” in 2006. It was the biggest non-music documentary since “Fahrenheit 9/11” in 2004. I guess people are hungry for documentaries that push the boundaries and challenge their assumptions.
The other big documentary this year, “Melania”, premiered on twice as many screens and made less than half as much money, $7.1 million, in its opening weekend. And “Melania” was considered a box-office success in documentary terms when it was released. I suppose that just goes to show how unique “You Can See Everything” is.
Some film critics have predicted that “You Can See Everything” will receive a Best Picture nomination. It opens nationwide next weekend, sure to benefit from all the buzz from its opening weekend. I’ll be interested to see how it does, that’s for sure.
Overall, “You Can See Everything” finished No. 2 at the weekend box office in North America, behind Paramount’s video game adaptation of “Street Fighter”. I guess that’s not too shabby for a documentary. It’s definitely a film that’s going to be talked about for a while, and I’m curious to see where it goes from here.
In conclusion, “You Can See Everything” is a documentary that’s making waves and breaking records. With its unique approach and fascinating subject matter, it’s no wonder it’s doing so well. And who knows, maybe it’ll even get that Best Picture nomination. As I finish my coffee, I have to say, this film is definitely one to watch – and not just because it’s about a disgraced CEO trying to convince people of her innocence. Now that’s a story for the ages! 🙃
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
⚖️ ENTER THE LEGALIZER
Think the government has no idea what it's doing? Put your case before the Federal Case Terminal and find out.
