If there is Joaquin Phoenix in a movie, I have a reason to watch it - things are that simple for me when it comes to trusting the starcast to choose a movie to watch tonight. But You Never Really Here tests this theory, this faith that the movies Phoenix chooses are invariably high on substance. For starters, the guy hardly speaks throughout the movie. Not that the action sequences are too stretched. There is an intentional slowness to the story but then again, there is not a real story here. Joaquin is remorseful, guilty, passive-aggressive, violently aggressive, repentful, and a lot more but the plot just does not allow him to really take upon the screen space he warrants.
