Never Steady, Never Still
Never Steady, Never Still

Never Steady, Never Still

2015Movie18 minEnglish

A troubled young man is driven back to his childhood home by a horrible mistake — and discovers that he is not alone in his struggle. Never Steady, Never Still is a thundering whisper that beautifully captures the solace of family and home.

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Insights

IMDb7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes97%
Metacritic84/100
Google Users96%
Director: Kirsten JohnsonGenres: Documentary

Plot Summary

Filmmaker Kirsten Johnson turns her lens on her own family, documenting the life of her father, a neurologist grappling with multiple sclerosis. Through home movies, archival footage, and intimate new recordings, the film explores themes of memory, love, and the human body's resilience in the face of devastating illness. It's a deeply personal and poignant look at a father-daughter relationship as it evolves through profound physical and mental challenges.

Critical Reception

Never Steady, Never Still received widespread critical acclaim for its emotional depth, intimate portrait, and masterful filmmaking. Critics lauded Kirsten Johnson's unflinching honesty and her ability to weave together personal history with universal themes of love, loss, and the fragility of life. The documentary was celebrated for its profound humanity and its unique perspective on caregiving and family.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its raw emotional honesty and intimate portrayal of a family.
  • Celebrated for Kirsten Johnson's brave and deeply personal filmmaking.
  • Noted for its profound exploration of love, illness, and memory.

Google audience: Google users overwhelmingly loved 'Never Steady, Never Still,' highlighting its emotional impact and profound storytelling. Viewers found the film deeply moving and relatable, appreciating the honest depiction of family dynamics and the challenges of illness.

Awards & Accolades

Notable selections include the Sundance Film Festival, CPH:DOX, and the True/False Film Festival. It received the Grand Jury Prize at the Sheffield Doc/Fest.

Fun Fact

Kirsten Johnson, the director and subject of the film, also served as the cinematographer for many of her father's medical lectures and recordings, giving her a unique and intimate perspective on his life and illness long before she made this documentary.

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