In Always Shine, Sophia Takal solidified herself as a young director to watch

| Feb 20, 2024

The performative commingling of these two still fresh talents is a blast

| Jul 2, 2021

The threats grow more intense, the "stakes" constantly raised, the jump scares and music blasts louder. It becomes a more "intellectual" version of the cheap horror work it decries. The threats remain superficial.

| Mar 16, 2021

With Davis and FitzGerald turning in absolutely mesmerizing performances, Always Shine makes for a simple yet effective little chiller.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 29, 2020

A testament to the destructive power of both Hollywood and the inherently narcissistic need of many actors to be recognized and successful.

| Apr 28, 2020

There is not a beat to miss or a beat amiss in Sophia Takal's standout second feature, Always Shine.

| Mar 16, 2020

Be prepared to deal with the wrath of a female friendship gone wrong. Always Shine is laden with so much tension that I felt the strong urge to take a Xanax while watching.

| Oct 25, 2019

Performances that explore the meaning of performance are hard to do, but Davis and FitzGerald pull them off with aplomb.

| Sep 1, 2019

Takal dips her troubled femmes with the type of transcendental touches we've come to expect from cabalistic expressions of madness at the art-house.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 22, 2019

With a haunting finale and two fantastic performances from Mackenzie Davis and Caitlin FitzGerald, this is another winner from Lawrence Michael Levine and Sophia Takal.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Apr 10, 2019

It's not a good film, but I'd be damned if I said I didn't love every minute of it.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Dec 28, 2018

Always Shine is a mostly engrossing tale of friendship and jealousy that builds and builds before it twists and turns down the home stretch.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 1, 2018

Always Shine is a remarkable film carried by a strong script and even stronger performances.

| Aug 25, 2018

While female friendship can be a source of joy, it can also be uniquely cruel, and Always Shine understands this truth well.

| Jun 26, 2018

This unsettling phantasmagoric, psychological thriller unnerves with its sharp slaying of the Hollywood industry's rampant sexism.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 5, 2017

Always Shine is a significant work on the burden of gender in society.

| Original Score: 70/100 | Sep 27, 2017

Always Shine takes a while to make its points fully clear, but the friction and tacit hostility simmering all the way makes for a slow-burning but engrossing watch.

| Original Score: 8/10 | May 18, 2017

If you're looking for an antidote to La La Land's sunny view of Hollywood, this works very well.

| Jan 19, 2017

Despite good work from both its stars, and some interesting ideas, Always Shine ultimately amounts to less than the sum of its parts.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 22, 2016

A twisty psychological thriller.

| Original Score: B- | Dec 18, 2016