Comedian Nathan Fielder has released a documentary titled "You Can See Everything," which follows Elizabeth Holmes in her Del Mar home before her prison sentence. The A24 film examines the Theranos founder's claims of innocence through Fielder's signature absurdist lens.
Fielder's 20-day wait to move into the Del Mar home
Nathan Fielder utilizes a voyeuristic approach in "You Can See Everything," positioning himself as a portal into the private life of Elizabeth Holmes. According to the report, Fielder initially declined an offer to stay with Holmes and her family in their rented California residence, only accepting the invitation after about 20 days of filming. This slow immersion mirrors the pacing of Fielder's previous works, such as "The Rehearsal" and "Nathan for You," where he blurs the boundary between a documentary subject and a scripted character.
The 174-minute film captures Fielder as a persistent presence, often seen with a portable monitor and headphones. Rather than employing traditional journalistic techniques, Fielder relies on direct questioning and strategic silence to navigate the conversation. As the source notes, Fielder continues to press his subjects on their narratives until the logic holds up or an external interruption occurs, creating a tension that challenges the viewer's perception of the scene.
The raw egg mixing and Evans' steamrolling
The relationship between Elizabeth Holmes and her partner, Evans, serves as a central puzzle in the documentary. Fielder focuses on the subtle power dynamics of the couple, specifically highlighting instances where Evans tends to "steamroll" situations. One concrete example cited in the report is Evans correcting the manner in which Holmes was "limply mixing raw eggs," a small detail that suggests a level of control that contradicts the couple's intended public image.
Elizabeth Holmes continues to project an image of total honesty, claiming to Fielder that she has never told a lie and maintaining that her blood-testing technology actually worked. The film sugests that the project, which Holmes and Evans viewed as a way to help the public understand the "real" Holmes, may have instead functioned as a revealing piece of performance art that exposes the fractures in their domestic partnership.
The disputed 2023 New York Times quote
A significant point of contention in the film involves a 2023 New York Times profile that attributed a specific quote to Elizabeth Holmes: "They're not playing me. They're playing a character I created." While the New York Times stands by the accuracy of this reporting, both Holmes and Evans claim she was misquoted and that the statement does not sound like her.
This dispute highlights a critical gap in the film's evidence. While Evans and Holmes allege they have a recording of the conversation that proves the misquote, they notably do not allow Nathan Fielder to listen to the audio. This leaves the viewer to decide who is being truthful—the established journalistic record of the New York Times or the claims of a woman already convicted of massive fraud.
The R-rated secret A24 is guarding
A24 has released the film with an R rating from the Motion Picture Association,citing "language and some graphic nudity ." Beyond the content warnings, the filmmakers and the studio are intentionally withholding a specific "secret" about the movie's conclusion to avoid spoilers. This narrative device transforms the documentary from a mere character study into a cinematic event designed to provoke a specific reaction from the audience.
By framing the Theranos scandal through the lens of a comedian known for social engineering, "You Can See Everything" moves the conversation away from the financial crimes of the 2010s and toward a broader exploration of how identity is constructed.. The film asks whether Elizabeth Holmes is still playing a role, or if the persona has finally merged with the person.
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