Alcoholic writer Sam (Andrew Lee Potts) is behind on his deadline and under threat of having to pay back an advance he doesn’t have. On the way to the pub, he loses his wallet and the bartender (Johnny Vivash) refuses to cover him. Out of the blue, a seemingly good Samaritan, Mara (Beatrice Fletcher), steps in and buys him a drink. As they chat and get along with each other, Sam thinks nothing of this good deed. Then, over the next few days, more strange things happen, including someone entering his house. Meeting Mara again, she suggests playing a game of ‘never have I ever’ that gets to some dark places…
Starting as a frustrating catalogue of mishaps, past events come back to haunt Sam. Andrew Lee Potts delivers a strong performance as the writer, going to places we don’t usually see from him. Damon Rickard’s debut feature is tightly directed, the lighter first half moving up a gear midway for a more intense ride. Flashbacks and monologues fill in the story beats as secrets and forgotten pasts are revealed. Beatrice Fletcher is equally powerful in the second half, driving the narrative confidently.
While the dialogue is occasionally too on-point, Never Have I Ever is an impressive first feature for Rickard.
NEVER SHALL I EVER screened at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest.
