Always Shine

Released Nov 25, 2016

1h 27m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

List

91%

Tomatometer

53 Reviews

52%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

Two women, both actresses with differing degrees of success, travel north from Los Angeles to Big Sur for a weekend vacation. Both see the trip as an opportunity to reconnect after years of competition and jealousy have driven a wedge between them. Upon arrival at their isolated forest retreat, the pair discover that their once intimate friendship has deteriorated into forced conversations, betrayals, petty jealousies, and deep-seated resentment.

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Critics Consensus

The tense and well-acted Always Shine tells an absorbing story while making a sharp, thought-provoking statement on women's roles in Hollywood.

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Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

The Blue Lenses

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

Aug 25, 2018

Full Review

Sheri Linden

Los Angeles Times

As the fog closes in, so too does the foreboding, expertly tuned to fraught dissonance by director Sophia Takal, who blends art-house flourishes with such horror conventions as the spotty cellphone reception that signals trouble.

Dec 1, 2016

Full Review

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

[Takal has] created two characters with distinctly different approaches to femininity, but these are hard to separate from the women's habitual self-regard.

Dec 1, 2016

Full Review

Dave Giannini

InSession Film

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

Feb 20, 2024

Full Review

Jason Adams

The Film Experience

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

Jul 2, 2021

Full Review

Andrew Benjamin

Battleship Pretension

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

Full Review

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Melissa L

This was just sad. Not much of a horror move. I wouldn't recommend seeing it.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/28/24

Full Review

Green C

The tension was palpable. But I hate blurry endings.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/05/24

Full Review

Wayne M

Lots of captivating subtext builds the tension between the two leads and creates an entertaining ride.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/24/23

Full Review

Dennis G

I would have enjoyed watching my wall more.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/20/22

Full Review

jon h

Awful film from a director who film studios must at some point realise is absolutely useless at making films.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is the definition of pedestrian. While not terrible, it's nowhere near good. The acting is only as good as the dialogue, which is bad. It doesn't delve into anything or go anywhere surprising. It's middle of the road. Getting someone who can write words that people would actually speak would have been a good place to start.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

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Sophia Takal

Director

Mackenzie Davis

Anna

Caitlin FitzGerald

Beth

Lawrence Michael Levine

Jesse

Khan Baykal

Paul

Alexander Koch

Matt

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Synopsis

Two women, both actresses with differing degrees of success, travel north from Los Angeles to Big Sur for a weekend vacation. Both see the trip as an opportunity to reconnect after years of competition and jealousy have driven a wedge between them. Upon arrival at their isolated forest retreat, the pair discover that their once intimate friendship has deteriorated into forced conversations, betrayals, petty jealousies, and deep-seated resentment.

Director: Sophia Takal
Producer: Sophia Takal, Lawrence Michael Levine, Pierce Varous
Screenwriter: Lawrence Michael Levine
Distributor: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Production Co: Visit Films, Salem Street Entertainment
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 25, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 7, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.2K
Runtime: 1h 27m

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