Elizabeth Holmes Documentary Deemed 'One of the Craziest Movies'
A new film captures the 34 days before the Theranos founder's prison sentence, offering an intimate and unsettling look at her life with fiancé Billy Evans.
“You Can See Everything,” a documentary by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, offers an intimate and often disquieting look at the final days of freedom for Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes before her 11-year prison sentence.
The film chronicles 34 days Holmes spent in San Diego before reporting to a federal prison in Bryan, Texas, alongside her fiancé, Billy Evans. The filmmakers invited Fielder into their lives, aiming to present a humanized version of Holmes, who has become a widely recognized figure since her fraud conviction. Her story was previously dramatized in the 2022 series “The Dropout.”
Holmes, known for her distinctive husky voice and intense gaze, faces widespread public perception of wrongdoing for misleading investors and the public about her company's blood-testing technology. However, in the documentary, Holmes and Evans present themselves as victims of public opinion, suggesting she has been unfairly “othered.” Evans, in particular, defends Holmes, stating, “Liz has been turned into this monster because nobody knows who she is.”
The documentary captures Holmes in the lead-up to her incarceration, showing her interactions with Fielder, who acts as an interviewer. Fielder directly questions Holmes about her past, including asking, “Have you ever lied in your life?” to which she responds, “I don’t think so.” The film's creators use this period to delve into Holmes' character, leaving viewers to question her motivations and the extent of her culpability.
"You Can See Everything" eschews the straightforward narrative of documentaries like “The Jinx” or “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley.” Instead, it adopts a more intrusive approach, exploring Holmes' relationships, including her interactions with her young children, and her dynamic with Evans. The film highlights Evans' often-unlikable behavior, such as his condescending remarks and public displays, while simultaneously questioning whether Fielder’s editing choices may have influenced the audience's perception of him and Holmes.
As Holmes begins her prison sentence, the filmmakers employ creative methods, including using transcripts and memories, to depict events from her time incarcerated. This experimental approach, which the review describes as one of the "craziest" elements of the film, blurs the lines between reality and reenactment, creating a psychological thriller-like atmosphere.
Ultimately, the documentary suggests that a complete understanding of Elizabeth Holmes remains elusive, concluding that "With Elizabeth Holmes, we will never see everything."