‘You Can See Everything’ review: But what are they showing you?

The latest documentary from A24, “You Can See Everything,” has one of the most unconventional mashups no one had on their cinematic bingo card, and it works.

In an effort to show the “real” side of Elizabeth Holmes, the former founder and CEO of Theranos who was convicted on three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Holmes and her boyfriend and father of two children, Billy Evans, welcome a documentary crew in their rented beach house in Del Mar, California 34 days before she begins her sentence.

The documentary crew consists of co-directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim. Fielder, known primarily for his satirical comedy in shows like “Nathan for You” (2013-2017), interviews Holmes and Evans on camera and is the audience’s window into the perplexing lives of the couple.

What we end up with is an almost three-hour genius documentary that baffles you with more questions than answers when it ends. The main question being: Does Elizabeth Holmes sincerely believe she did nothing wrong, or is she a master-manipulator who got caught committing fraud?

Lies vs. delusion

One of the ten commandments is, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). If Holmes is lying, her degree of lying would be considered a mortal sin since it would fit the conditions of involving a grave matter, committed with full knowledge of what she is lying about, and done with deliberate consent (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1857). Yet when you watch her answer questions and examine the seeming void behind the stare of her big blue eyes, it makes you wonder if she can comprehend what a lie is.

This comes to the fore in two main encounters with Fielder. In the first, Holmes insists she has never told a lie. Skeptical, Fielder continues to press the subject, and Holmes concedes she may have told some lies as a kid but maintains she has not told a lie in her adult life.

Keep in mind, a jury of her peers found Holmes guilty of federal crimes of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. However, she was found not guilty on charges related to intentionally defrauding patients. The latter fact leads to the second main encounter with Fielder concerning lying.

As Fielder is invited to live with Holmes and Evans, they show him components of an old Theranos testing kit. Holmes describes that the full kit can do all the blood testing the company claimed it could do. Fielder, knowing that one of the reasons she is going to prison is that it cannot, presses Holmes on the subject and she explains the kit is capable of performing all of the tests, but the chemistries involved had not been able to be entered into the kits. It is discovered that in her mind “can right now” and “could” or “is capable of” all mean the same thing. She appears to have a brilliant mind but is a bad communicator. Her body language and eyes make it hard to discern if this is true, or if it is performative.

Click here for a major spoiler about Elizabeth Holmes’ perception of the world

In a brilliant move, Fielder shows Holmes and Evans the classic Abbott and Costello “Who’s on First” comedy bit. Holmes kind of laughs but does not understand the joke. When Fielder asks her, she muddles a response. When he keys in on the “Who’s on first” line, she reveals she never really got his name and thus did not understand the wordplay of the bit. Evans, in what is maybe his most honest moment in the movie, thanks Fielder because Evans thinks their discussion about the bit illustrates how her brain works differently and she can think up an idea like single-drop blood testing but not be able to communicate well.

Transparency and manipulation

If there is a “villain” or “antagonist” in “You Can See Everything,” his name is Billy Evans. In what seems to be an honest effort to protect Elizabeth’s image, Evans comes off as over-protective, controlling, and overtly manipulative.

Early in the documentary, Fielder asks the couple general questions as they prepare breakfast. Holmes uses a soft, questionable technique to beat her eggs in a bowl. In the middle of the conversation, Evans takes the bowl out of Holmes’ hands and begins to beat the eggs using a normal, more aggressive technique. Fielder is quick to question what just happened, and Evans explains it away as not liking her technique.

The deeper symbolism of what happens with the “egg beating incident” unfolds throughout the documentary. Anytime Fielder looms near any controversial revelations about Theranos or Holmes’ past, Billy disrupts the conversation. This is true when Fielder talks to Holmes, her parents who come to visit, an employee of a new company Evans is operating while Holmes is incarcerated, and even Evans himself.

While seemingly inviting Fielder and crew into their residence akin to letting the truth set them free (John 8:32), Evans’ behavior suggests he only wants a certain part of the truth of Holmes to get out, but not with full transparency.

Conversely, there is a segment of him working out and showing off his physique, followed by a full frontal shot of him naked in the shower. I suppose it is the name, but when I went to the documentary “You Can See Everything,” I did not expect to actually see that kind of everything. This is the only bit of nudity in the documentary. While it is not necessary, it does make you think about how Evans wanted the crew to film him in the shower, how he purposely posed in a certain way, and how it sheds light on his personality.

Where the documentary succeeded

“You Can See Everything” feels more like a cinematic thriller than a run-of-the-mill documentary. The score matches the mood of what is happening. Fielder proves himself to be a great interviewer, cutting straight to the point with follow-up questions and letting people talk as much as they want. He also uses silence well to make people feel the need to fill it.

The documentary also presents layers of perspective on how to trust the information we consume, who it is coming from, and even trusting what we view in the documentary form of filmmaking.

Can we trust that Elizabeth Holmes is telling the truth? What about Billy Evans’ motives? Can we trust Nathan Fielder to be unbiased? Can we trust documentaries in general since they all are told from the perspective of a director? Can I even trust my take on the doc? Can you trust me on whether we can trust the doc or its subjects? The spiral continues.

Where it fell short

The shower scene of Billy Evans may have been a window into his personality, but it is not needed. There are plenty of other opportunities where he showcases this narcissistic behavior throughout the film without having to truly “see everything.”

The latter half of the documentary takes place two years after Holmes reports to federal prison. To cover the lack of access of Holmes, Fielder connects with actress Amanda Seyfried, who won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the Hulu limited series “The Dropout” (2022), to reenact encounters with Holmes. Although the reenactments with Seyfried bring to light more information and intrigue, this part of “You Can See Everything” drags on a bit without the main subject of the doc being able to participate.

Final thoughts

As far as documentaries go, “You Can See Everything” is an exquisite work of art. In a rare post-movie watching experience, I sat in silence for a good amount of time contemplating what I just watched. With everything surrounding the subject of the documentary, the experience feels like catching lightning in a bottle. I am curious to see what happens when Elizabeth Holmes’ sentence is complete, and if Nathan Fielder will continue to make documentaries.

If you decide to watch the documentary, my one recommendation is to close your eyes when you see Billy Evans working out and then open them again after the sound of running shower water is over.