Nathan Fielder documentary about Elizabeth Holmes gets critical acclaim

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 21:21 · Archive

Nathan Fielder's documentary 'You Can See Everything' about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has received strong reviews from critics.

Nathan Fielder's documentary 'You Can See Everything', directed with Lance Oppenheim, has become one of the year's most talked-about films. The work captures Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced Theranos founder, during the 34 days before she began serving an 11-year criminal fraud sentence in 2023.

Holmes and her husband Billy Evans approached the filmmakers with an unusual proposal: to document her final days of freedom as an attempt to exonerate her in the public eye. The couple invited Fielder into their rented beach house in San Diego, California to create the film.

Fielder, a comedian and filmmaker known for his satirical work on the show 'Nathan for You', is well-suited to interrogate Holmes' character. His career has involved walking the line between fact and fiction, often using deadpan humour to expose absurdity. In one exchange captured in the documentary, Fielder gently compares their situations: 'Isn't it weird that I, like, did a TV show about kind of a business scam, and you got in trouble for like … a business scam?'

Holmes disputes the comparison, suggesting her situation is different from Fielder's comedic work. Evans frames Holmes as a victim of public opinion, arguing she has been 'othered' by the court of public opinion rather than recognised as the person she truly is.

The documentary examines the nature of authenticity through the collision of Fielder's performed persona and Holmes' own character. Critics have praised the film as Shakespearean in its ambition and nuance, though the New York Post describes it as 'wild' and 'shocking', likening the experience of watching it to being on 'Willy Wonka's messed-up boat'. The film runs 174 minutes and is rated R.

How it is being reported

• ‘You Can See Everything’ review: Wild Elizabeth Holmes doc is one of the craziest movies I’ve ever seenMovies don’t come much wilder than “You Can See Everything,” Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s brilliant, up-close-and-personal documentary about convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes that’s already the talker of the year.New York Post · 16 Oct, 19:00
• In ‘You Can See Everything,’ Elizabeth Holmes meets her equal in comedian Nathan FielderNathan Fielder's documentary about disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has created a constellation of colliding personas that interrogate the very nature of authenticity.TechCrunch · 16 Oct, 17:00
• "You Can See Everything" gets rave reviews from criticsNathan Fielder's documentary "You Can See Everything" follows disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes before she headed to prison. Fielder's highly anticipated work is being well-received by critics. Jo Ling Kent has more.CBS News · 16 Oct, 14:53
• With Elizabeth Holmes, can you ever really see everything?A riveting new documentary, “You Can See Everything”, is Shakespearean in ambition and nuanceThe Economist · 14 Oct, 19:15

In this story: Elizabeth Holmes · Nathan Fielder · Lance Oppenheim · Billy Evans · Theranos · San Diego

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