In Lynne Ramsay's kidnapping thriller They Were Never Really Here, Joaquin Phoenix plays a veteran named Joe who has been working under the table as a hired gun, rescuing young girls from sex trafficking rings. After he is hired to save a senator's daughter, Nina, played by Ekaterina Samsonov, he uncovers a plot of corruption and violence.

Lynne Ramsay has created an atmospheric and intense thriller that is unlike any other in the genre. She juxtaposes beautiful imagery with startingly violence that consequently leaves us feeling helpless, outraged, and awed. The film is also elevated by the performances, as Joaquin Phoenix is hard to look away from as is Ekaterina Samsonov. He almost seems like a modern day Travis Bickle, as he is clearly enraged about the state of society and the things he cannot change, as he tries to save Nina. 

The film is in competition for the Palme d'Or and many other awards and I would say that this is a top contender. 

- Manette Asta