Since its release, "You Can See Everything" has defied expectations for a documentary, opening to a staggering $15 million. Critics have lauded the film, reflected in its near-perfect scores: a 99 on Metacritic and 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Its impressive 9.4 rating on IMDb even puts it in contention to surpass "The Shawshank Redemption" as the highest-rated film of all time, if it holds.
The documentary's awards strategy is ambitious, with submissions planned for a wide array of categories beyond just Best Documentary Feature. These include Best Picture, Director (for Fielder and Oppenheim), Production Design, Cinematography, Costume Design, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, and Original Score.
One of the most talked-about aspects of the campaign is the push for acting nominations. Variety exclusively confirmed that Amanda Seyfried, credited in the film as Elizabeth Holmes, is eligible for the Academy Awards. Seyfried, who reprises her Emmy-winning role as Holmes from "The Dropout" while also appearing as herself in the documentary, is being campaigned in the Supporting Actress category. If nominated, it would be her second Oscar nod, following "Mank." Christopher Abbott, who appears as Holmes' spouse Billy Evans in recreated scenes, is also eligible for Supporting Actor. Nathan Fielder, credited as himself, may also be submitted for Lead Actor, a truly unique prospect as no actor has ever been nominated for playing themselves.
The film's hybrid nature—a documentary incorporating narrative recreations—presents a complex challenge for various awards bodies. No documentary has ever been nominated for Best Picture in the Oscars' 98-year history, making "You Can See Everything" a potential trailblazer.
Eligibility rules vary wildly across the major guilds and awards shows:
- Golden Globes: Currently not eligible, as the Globes do not recognize documentaries. However, sources suggest the group might consider making an exception for this run, though its categorization (drama or comedy/musical) remains unclear.
- Critics Choice Awards: The only major stop where the film is fully eligible across the board, including all acting categories.
- Actor Awards (formerly SAG): Not typically eligible for documentaries, but a committee is reportedly reviewing the film's unique structure to determine if an exception can be made for Seyfried's performance.
- BAFTA: Eligibility is a question mark, with indications suggesting it may be eligible for top categories, though less clear for acting races.
- Writers Guild of America: Not eligible due to the absence of a credited screenplay.
- Directors Guild of America (DGA): Fielder and Oppenheim are eligible for the DGA's top award for theatrically released feature films, in addition to the documentary prize. Oppenheim, having directed previous documentaries, is not eligible for the first-time feature director category.
- Producers Guild of America (PGA): Eligible for both the theatrical motion picture award and the documentary prize.
This lack of consistent eligibility across the awards landscape makes "You Can See Everything" a true wildcard. Best Picture contenders typically build momentum through wins and nominations from these precursor ceremonies. Without a clear path through many of these, the film's journey to a potential historic Best Picture nomination, or even a win, remains in uncharted territory. The awards season will be watching closely to see if this groundbreaking documentary can rewrite the rules.