New York (AFP) – It lasts three hours, has long dialogues and still shots, and tells a story that already had wide coverage in the United States, but the documentary "You Can See Everything" unexpectedly became a success in theaters and a cultural phenomenon in the United States.

First modification: 10/11/2026 - 14:19

The film about Elizabeth Holmes, the former rising biotechnology star who ended up in prison for fraud in 2023, even topped the US box office after its release on October 16, something unusual for a documentary.

With memes, stunt contests and parodies on late-night TV shows, the image of Holmes and the actor Nathan Fielder, narrator, interviewer and one of the central figures of the film, has invaded the screens and monopolizes conversations on and off the internet.

The career of Holmes, considered "the female version of Steve Jobs" and founder of Theranos, the company that claimed to be able to perform medical analyzes with a few drops of blood, had already been the subject of reports, podcasts and even a fictional miniseries.

"I've been following his story closely for years," says Alexandra Lesnik, 29, who went to see the documentary co-directed by Fielder and Lance Oppenheim on a weekday in a sold-out theater in Brooklyn.

"But I feel that the film offers a new and different look," he adds, and specifies that it is "the first time" he has seen a documentary in the cinema.

Nathan Seyers, 53, was attracted by "the buzz" that the film generated among his friends and leaves excited. "It's probably one of the five best movies I've ever seen in my life," he exclaims.

"This film has certainly captured the public's attention in a profound way," says Kate Rennebohm, a film professor at Lawrence University in Wisconsin.

And he adds that for two weeks after the premiere "I had students waiting after class every day to talk about the movie."

Marketing and post-truth

Halfway between reality show, cinéma vérité and fiction, "You Can See It All" offers a unique look at Holmes, convicted of deception, but who continues to strive to convince others otherwise.

The film forces the viewer to constantly reconsider their opinion of its protagonist. Is she sincere? Did she manage to deceive herself? Are you a victim of someone else?

"What impressed me most was the way you continually change your perspective," says Avery Smith, a 27-year-old New Yorker.

Fielder's popularity also contributed to his success, according to several critics. The comedian became a cult figure on American television thanks to programs that mix dry humor with experiments that often lead to uncomfortable situations.

"The promotional campaign for the film was extraordinary," further highlights Nora Stone, a film professor at the University of North Alabama and a documentary specialist.

The film remained a secret until its surprise presentation at the Telluride Festival (Colorado) in September. Then it had all the advertising machinery of the independent studio A24, Stone points out.

Geoffrey Lokke, a researcher at Columbia University, also believes that the directors' request not to reveal details reinforced the aura of mystery and increased the public's curiosity.

In this documentary, almost no one comes out unscathed. Even the producers are subject to criticism: a story involving large sums of money, revealed during the film, calls into question both the image of A24 and that of Holmes' husband.

"'You Can See It All' is the perfect encapsulation of the post-truth era: never admitting the slightest mistake," says Stone, explaining the fascination that the film provokes.

For Rennebohm, Holmes ended up inadvertently embodying "a culture of self-deception and denial of reality" deeply rooted in Silicon Valley and the American technology industry.

"This culture is reaching a critical point today," warns the academic, who links this trend to the threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI).

In contention for the Oscars, "You Can See Everything" will be released on November 26 in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico and on December 25 in Spain.

© 2026 AFP

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