Men’s Health: Is Nathan Fielder the Peak of Modern Masculinity?
Is Nathan Fielder the peak of modern masculinity? That question sits at the center of the newly released film You Can See Everything, which combines unprecedented access to former Theranos CEO and convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes and her partner Billy Evans with a meta-narrative threaded by co-directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, according to Men’s Health.
- Nathan Fielder serves as the central figure and audience surrogate in the documentary film You Can See Everything.
- Co-director Lance Oppenheim described Fielder’s unfiltered appearance and calm demeanor in an interview with GQ as an emblem of modern masculinity.
- The film contrasts Fielder’s unassuming presence with traditional expressions of masculine energy embodied by Billy Evans.
The Central Focus on Nathan Fielder
While headlines surrounding You Can See Everything largely focus on access to Elizabeth Holmes as a public figure, the film is fundamentally a Nathan Fielder project rather than an Elizabeth Holmes profile, Men’s Health reported. Fielder broke out with the docu-spoof series Nathan For You on Comedy Central and later explored surreal subjects in HBO’s The Rehearsal and Paramount+ and Showtime’s The Curse. In the new film, he acts as the central figure searching for the truth of who Holmes is and why she behaved the way she did, rather than reinvestigating the legal facts of her case.
Contrasting Visions of Masculinity On Screen
Lance Oppenheim discussed Fielder’s role in an interview with GQ, suggesting that Fielder’s authentic and unvarnished nature makes him an emblem for modern men. Oppenheim noted that he frequently praised Fielder’s appearance during filming, pointing out close-up shots where Fielder’s skin blemishes were visible, while Fielder pushed back jokingly about his zits and blackheads. Men’s Health reported that Oppenheim praised Fielder’s unassuming parallel to the audience, noting that Fielder remains entirely comfortable and calm throughout the production.
This dynamic creates a distinct contrast with the other primary male figure in the film, Billy Evans. Evans partakes in more traditional expressions of masculine energy: he goes to the gym, shoots guns at a shooting range after moving to Texas, and appears in a shower scene featuring full-frontal male nudity while Fielder looks on, according to Men’s Health. Men’s Health noted that Oppenheim characterized Fielder as an unconventionally hyper-masculine man due to his unwavering self-possession.
The Shift in Fielder’s Persona
The film marks a notable shift from Fielder’s previous on-screen personas. In past projects, he often operated as an on-screen joker or troll who nudged his subjects into awkward situations. In You Can See Everything, Fielder functions as a blank slate and an audience surrogate. Viewers watch him react naturally, such as when he shows Holmes Abbott and Costello’s famous “Who’s On First?” routine for the first time.
