What's happened
A new documentary, It Doesn’t Go Well. You Can See Everything, follows Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, her partner Billy Evans, and their children in the weeks before her prison stay. It uses scenes from Hulu’s The Dropout and interviews, offering a window into Holmes’s emotions as her case unfolds in court. The film opened in U.S. theaters this week.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- The film blends real footage with reenactments of a high-profile tech fraud case, raising questions about how much weight to give to dramatized material versus verifiable records.
- It highlights the human impact of Holmes’s actions on her family, which could influence audience perceptions of accountability in tech entrepreneurship.
- The use of scenes that mirror popular adaptations (The Dropout) may blur lines between documentary evidence and narrative storytelling, affecting credibility.
- This release could renew public interest in Theranos-era disclosures and investor scrutiny, potentially prompting calls for stricter oversight of biotech startups.
How we got here
Elizabeth Holmes was convicted in January 2022 on fraud and conspiracy charges related to Theranos. She is scheduled to serve more than 11 years in prison. The documentary, filmed over three years in secret, presents intimate moments with Holmes and Evans and includes reenactments involving the Netflix or Hulu portrayal of her rise and fall.
Our analysis
Independent reports on the documentary’s release and content, including interviews with Holmes and Evans, and commentary on The Dropout’s portrayal. The article notes the film’s secret filming and the actors involved.
Go deeper
- What new details does the documentary reveal about Holmes’s mindset during the Theranos saga?
- How might this film influence future investor scrutiny of biotech startups?
- Will Holmes’s family context shift public sympathy or judgment?