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Tuesday, 20 October 2026dailybeirut.com
Miscellaneous
Lance Oppenheim and Nathan Fielder’s documentary about Elizabeth Holmes earned $15 million in a limited release, marking the largest debut for a film on under 1,000 screens since 2006.
A three-hour documentary regarding disgraced tech executive Elizabeth Holmes achieved significant commercial success despite a restricted theatrical rollout. "You Can See Everything," directed by Lance Oppenheim and Nathan Fielder, generated $15 million at the box office. This performance stands out as an anomaly for a niche project focused on a figure currently incarcerated for fraud.
Variety reported that the film secured the largest opening weekend for any title playing on fewer than 1,000 screens since the 2006 release of "Borat." A24 executed two unexpected moves in early September 2026 to launch the project. The studio released the movie abruptly at the Telluride Film Festival while simultaneously dropping a teaser trailer featuring Holmes asking Fielder why she would deceive him.
The trailer generated substantial attention. During a Q&A session cited by Vanity Fair, Fielder admitted he remains confused by the experience, stating, "I really am struggling to this day to understand exactly what I experienced." The promotional strategy effectively piqued audience interest through its unusual narrative framing.
The documentary defies traditional genre expectations. The first half presents a straightforward examination of Holmes, her partner Billy Evans, and their children prior to Holmes beginning her prison sentence for defrauding investors via her non-functional blood-testing company, Theranos. The subsequent 90 minutes shift dramatically, introducing a secret actor and altering the film's trajectory entirely.
Nathan Fielder previously established his reputation with experimental series such as "Nathan For You" and "The Rehearsal." In those projects, he conducted business improvement experiments or staged real-life events to explore social dynamics. Oppenheim also had a notable 2026 release with "Primetime," a film centering on Chris Hansen during the peak of the "To Catch a Predator" mania. Audiences who viewed "Primetime" likely contributed to the turnout for "You Can See Everything."
The secrecy surrounding the production fueled conversation, drawing viewers who wished to participate in the discourse. Fielder explained in a post-release interview with Wired that the film changes midway, placing him directly in front of the camera to reveal unexpected elements. He noted that the editing process continues to yield new interpretations from viewers.
"But with this, we're really trying to give the viewer everything," Fielder said. "We're trying to focus on these moments that we couldn't really make sense of fully... I've talked to people who have seen it, and they're all bringing out new ideas that I would never even consider." The film remains in theaters.
