My row of Alice Tully Hall was filled alongside reporters scribbling notes concerning the buzzy new Elizabeth Holmes documentary. Then, we heard the warning.
"In the involvement of trying to maintain a comparatively spoiler-free cognition for afterward audiences, we ask that you not movie and article this conversation," stated Dennis Lim, the imaginative director of New York Film Festival.
Lim recommended shaming anyone who recorded the conversation between Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the board of "You Can See Everything." A flock of journalists put their phones away, disappointedly.
The filmmakers had logic to worry: "You Can See Everything" was among the most shocking, revelatory, and oddly comic films I've always seen. It was twisty and deserving of seeing alongside caller eyes. So, I'm not going to spoil it for you. Lim wouldn't desire me to.
Here's my veiled, semi-secretive attempt to inform you what I saw.
The anticipation was palpable
The row wrapped about the block. One woman, alongside her marker-written sign, begged for fair one ticket by the safety scanners.
It's no astonishment that the New York premiere was a hot ticket. "You Can See Everything" is concerning the story of Elizabeth Holmes, the originator of blood-testing startup Theranos, who was convicted of defrauding investors of hundreds of millions of dollars. Her case became a media sensation, spawning books and a Hulu series.
Fielder himself is a pull, alongside his alt-comedy shows akin "Nathan for You" and "The Rehearsal." Oppenheim is in the news of delayed for his eerie obtain on the Chris Hansen story, "Primetime."
But, in the lobby of the theater, Holmes was all I heard about. She's motionless the fraudster of our community imagination, spurring endless questions. (Holmes maintains that she's guiltless throughout the film.)
The assemblage and I eventually submitted into the theater. There were many of journalists, many of imaginative types, many of group engaged in the film. I spotted multiple "Now Playing" caps from Film Forum.
Inside the screening
Fielder and Oppenheim introduced the film, receiving rapturous applause. They kept their words concise — sticking alongside the entire secrecy item — before thanking Lim and letting the movie run.
And then, we watched the documentary. It was shocking, jutting in new directions all 10 minutes and continually toying alongside my expectations. It was additionally laugh-out-loud funny. And, in the end, it was slightly moving.
The archetypal fractional of the movie is concerning Holmes' days before going to prison. Fielder gets shocking levels of access — hell, he lives in her home at one item — but motionless seems at a distance. He asks: Is she telling me the truth?
Her pitbull fiancé Billy Evans additionally gets in Fielder's way. He's a important player, and becomes equal additional so in the film's unexpected second half.
If you desire to study more, appearance it up on X. I'm not going to be liable for spoiling your experience.
The screening ended alongside a director Q&A. Fielder, a bit groggy following a nearly three-hour screening that started at 8 p.m., explained the film's origins. Holmes approached A24, he said, who looped him in. Oppenheim additionally walked through the specialized choices, akin lighting and aspect ratio.
Fielder additionally reminded us not to spoil the movie. He understood that we had to compose concerning it, but stated that we should observe out alongside what we say.
A astonishment exterior the theater
I exited the screening on a high. And then, I saw it: the advertisement truck.
A enormous display was parked exterior the theater's doors, proclaiming: "FREE ELIZABETH HOLMES." Organizers for Just Blood, an institution trying to demonstrate that Holmes' tech was sound, handed out T-shirts.
Flyers papered the ground, asking viewers to "see why Elizabeth Holmes is innocent" by visiting their site.
It was a bit of a circus. Nobody seemed to obtain them earnestly — we had fair watched an complete documentary concerning Holmes and her crimes, following all, and Just Blood does arrive up — but they did halt to gawk. Many took pictures of the screen.
I headed to the subway, clutching a pin they shared alongside attendees: "I've seen everything." I did awareness akin I'd seen everything. I felt akin I'd learned something. And now, I'd have to sit on that cognition until my allies (or you, beloved reader) see it in a few weeks.
Trust me, it's value it.
Correction, October 1, 2026 — This narrative has been corrected to indicate that Billy Evans is Elizabeth Holmes' fiancé, not husband.
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Henry Chandonnet is a elder newsman on the Business News desk. He writes concerning tech culture, from Silicon Valley's startup category to the mundane AI user. He additionally closely covers Big Tech and the workplace. Henry earlier wrote for Fast Company, anywhere he covered trending tech news. He's written for The Daily Beast, People Magazine, and Vulture.Email Henry at [email protected], attain him on Signal at henrychand.30, or prosecute him on X @HenryChandonnet.
