Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) is a vigilante for hire who rescues young girls from prostitution rings. His latest job is to rescue a politician’s daughter and things don’t go according to plan.

The above synopsis doesn’t do Lynne Ramsay’s “You Were Never Really Here” justice. This isn’t a typical action film and I suspect it is not for everyone, but I for one thought it was a powerful and bold film.

What we know of Joe’s past is drip fed to us in flashbacks and even then it’s hazy and hard to put together. What we see in the present is someone who fantasises of suicide, who is addicted to painkillers and dishes out violence whilst disconnected from everything. Phoenix delivers another brave and intense performance showing a man who wants to throw everything away but feels compelled to carry on. The entire film feels like a surreal fever dream of its protagonist almost as though this is his own purgatory. Add to this Jonny Greenwood’s discombobulating score and a touch of ultra violence and you may be starting to realise this film is more abstract than some people would like.

The way violence is portrayed in this film is unique in that very often it is just off camera or we arrive upon it just after it has happened. But somehow it is perhaps even more shocking than if we were to see the act itself. And the questions as to why Joe is able to perform such acts may or may not be answered by the flashbacks throughout the film.

Ramsay’s last film, We Need to Talk About Kevin came out 6 years ago and had equally interesting things to say about violence. If she can continue to make films of this potency it would be great if we didn’t have to wait so long for the next one!