You Can See Everything (2026) – Review
Quick Thoughts:
- Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim have crafted a thrilling documentary that will make A24 a lot of money.
- Elizabeth Holmes is more of a mystery now.
- Hopefully it teaches doc filmmakers to be fluid, dogged, and able to pivot. I love where this doc goes.
- You might see everything or nothing.
- Best 2026 usage of Abbott and Costello.
- Watching Nathan Fielder attempt to understand Holmes is a 2026 highlight.
You Can See Everything features everything great about documentaries. Laser-focused topics, interesting subjects, total access, twists/turns, and an evolving narrative. Directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim planned to film Elizabeth Holmes and her husband Billy Evans for 34 days in 2023; their plans derailed when the infamous Theranos founder and her squirrely husband took them on a ride they never expected. This isn’t surprising considering Elizabeth Holmes is an absolute cypher who swears she’s never told a lie in her life (amazing scene) and also claims she didn’t defraud investors who bought her Edison blood-testing device. Elizabeth Holmes is an anomaly, and the more time you spend with her, the less you know. In a recent interview, Fielder talks about how he still isn’t sure what he experienced during the 34 days before Holmes surrendered herself to a Texas minimum-security prison, because despite getting complete access to his subjects, they say nothing real and are walking contradictions. In a memorable moment, Fiedler screens Abbott and Costello’s famous “Who’s on first?” routine for Holmes, and she has no idea why the bit is funny (they talk over each other?). So, she is smart enough to build a ruthless empire and gain influential backers, but can’t comprehend why the cheeky comedy routine is so funny. Is she misunderstood? Is she always lying? Is Billy pulling the strings? Are they working together? The answer seems clear, but the more time you spend with the couple, the more questions you have.
You Can See Everything doesn’t leave you with concrete answers, but it’s an interesting journey into the mind of a man who really wants to understand Elizabeth Holmes. Fielder seems genuinely protective and cautious of Holmes, whose unblinking stare and miles of contradictions make for an interesting documentary subject. Holmes dropped out of Stanford and built a secretive empire by acquiring a league of influential backers who believed in her mission to make healthcare more affordable. She and her partner, Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, were eventually charged with defrauding $700 million from investors, and Holmes was sentenced to spend 11 years in a minimum-security prison.
The first third of the documentary primarily focuses on Fielder trying to wrap his head around Holmes and Evans. Evans is a controlling person who grabs bowls from Elizabeth’s hands to finish whisking eggs (she does it wrong), and is quick to direct the doc, which causes conflict with Fielder and Oppenheim. Later in the documentary, Evans calls himself “pretty strategic and well-resourced,” adding a menacing element to the Silicon Valley bro (and heir to a hotel empire) who listens to podcasts at 2x speed and lets cameras capture him in the shower. It’s wild that Holmes and Evans reached out to A24 about a documentary, and it’s really difficult to understand why they didn’t want a fluff piece about Holmes’ innocence and their attempt to create a Theranos 2.0. Everything they do seems strategic, but they’re so cagey that it’s impossible to understand their motives (or maybe it’s clear as day).
We never get the answer, but it’s fun to watch. The documentary continues long after Elizabeth turns herself in to prison, but what follows shouldn’t be spoiled. It isn’t a spoiler to say that David Bolen’s (Primetime, The Python Hunt) cinematography is incredible, and the near-constant close-ups give audiences countless opportunities to count Fielder’s pores and blackheads. The close-ups work especially well with Holmes, whose gigantic unblinking blue eyes resemble a black hole of mystery.
Final Thoughts – Watch it in theaters.
