Written and directed by Lynne Ramsay, You Were Never Really Here is a visual masterpiece that promotes visual storytelling over the traditional narrative structure through continuous dialogue and exposition.
Joe, a combat veteran, is plagued by continuous PTSD after the events he had formerly witnessed; having had the horrific world of sex trafficking placed before his eyes, Joe seeks out his next employment as a hired gun -- although he's more of a hired hammer -- in order to violently dish out justice and save the victims before it's too late.
The film is carried by Joaquin Phoenix, with an absolutely incredible performance, displaying a lonely life that has forever been tormented. Enough torment to have the good in him take over and carry out justice as best as possible. He's brutal, but he's carrying massive emotional weight from his childhood, and his actions make him a very interesting anti-hero/vigilante.
His character is told mostly by his body language; his little amount of words, but also his actions around his mother. There's occasional flashbacks to his past which take up little screen-time, but provide enough to really convey just who Joe is as a person, and what his intentions exactly are here. And it's clear that the money isn't what it's about. Joe is broken, distraught, but forever using the good in his heart to ensure that nobody will remain a victim.
Lynne Ramsay's writing and directing skills really show how alone Joe is, his remote personality and disinterest in general interaction. It excellently connects to the film's name, given Joe acts almost like a ghost.
With the film only one hour and thirty-minutes, everything is paced nicely. It displays the feeling that Joe is never wasting time. He's never allowing himself to take a large enough break for it to feel like the feel has paused, or simply slowed down enough to focus elsewhere. Everything in the film represents Joe as a character, and it's brilliant.
