The Meta Twist in Elizabeth Holmes Documentary: Amanda Seyfried's Portrayal
Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim's latest documentary, "You Can See Everything," offers a compelling exploration of Elizabeth Holmes' journey leading up to her prison sentence. The film takes an unexpected meta turn with the inclusion of Amanda Seyfried, who famously portrayed Holmes in "The Dropout." This unique approach challenges perceptions of truth and fiction, as Seyfried grapples with her past role and the complexities of presenting Holmes' story. The documentary raises profound questions about character portrayal, narrative construction, and the audience's understanding of reality in media.
The documentary, titled "You Can See Everything," intricately follows Elizabeth Holmes' life during the 34 days preceding her 11-year incarceration. The film initially presents a conventional narrative, showcasing interactions between Holmes and her partner, Billy Evans. However, its trajectory shifts dramatically with the introduction of Amanda Seyfried, an actress celebrated for her Emmy-winning performance as Holmes in Hulu's 2022 series, "The Dropout." This meta-intervention occurs approximately halfway through the film, after Holmes has begun her prison sentence.
Fielder enlists Seyfried to provide her insights into his often-unusual encounters with Holmes post-incarceration. The meta-narrative intensifies as Seyfried begins to reenact scenes that Fielder and Oppenheim were unable to capture during their initial filming. She is joined by Christopher Abbott, who takes on the role of Billy Evans, though Seyfried's presence increasingly dominates the latter half of the film.
One pivotal re-enactment portrays a private negotiation between the documentary's creators (Fielder and Oppenheim) and the A24 production team, which took place before filming commenced. In this recreated scene, Seyfried, embodying Holmes, steps away from the discussion to attend to her child. Simultaneously, Abbott, as Evans, demands financial compensation for his participation in the documentary. Fielder and Oppenheim resist this request, arguing it would compromise the film's integrity, but A24 ultimately agrees to the payment.
This incident leaves a lingering question throughout the documentary: did Holmes deliberately orchestrate her absence to distance herself from the questionable payment, or did Evans act independently, leaving Holmes unaware? When Fielder later visits Holmes in prison, she denies any knowledge of the payment. This denial is subsequently reenacted by Seyfried. Intriguingly, the film concludes with the revelation that Evans ultimately withdrew his financial request, a decision left unexplained.
In a deeply self-referential moment, Seyfried, while portraying Holmes during an off-camera prison visit with Fielder, voices Holmes' resentment towards "The Dropout." Holmes asserts that women should not "do that" to other women, implicating Seyfried and the entire production team. She emphasizes that many of her fellow inmates perceive "The Dropout" as a factual account of her life. Seyfried, in an intercut scene, reads the script of Fielder's actual conversation with Holmes. Her initial reaction is defensive, stating that she "didn't do that to [Holmes]. She did that to herself," and emphatically adding, "it's not lies. It's fucking TV." Fielder challenges Seyfried on the accuracy of her portrayal in "The Dropout." Seyfried, acknowledging she couldn't know every detail of Holmes' life, argues that Holmes' own actions led to assumptions about her, absolving Seyfried and the show of fault. Earlier in the film, Seyfried mentions her commitment to "fiction-land" backed by "ridiculous amounts of research," including ten hours of deposition tapes she used to prepare for her role.
The film consistently highlights Seyfried's willingness to "reenact whatever you want me to reenact." Fielder reminds her that she is "not [Holmes]," to which Seyfried, with a smile, responds, "Guess how many people believed I was her when I played her? A lot." Throughout these interactions, Seyfried struggles to fully understand Holmes. She exhibits empathy, recognizing the difficulty of seeing another woman in a manipulative relationship, yet she remains unsure if Holmes is perpetuating another deception. This internal conflict creates a constant tension between the actress and the incarcerated woman.
The documentary concludes with a quote from a New York Times interview with Holmes regarding "The Dropout": "They're not playing me. They're playing a character I created." Holmes fiercely disputes this, claiming she actually said "a character they created," while the Times reporter stands by their original quote. This single, highly debated word profoundly alters the meaning, leaving viewers to question the authenticity of the Elizabeth Holmes presented on screen—whether she is the true individual or a dramatized persona.
