Before Euphoria, Sydney Sweeney Starred In An Overlooked Psychological Thriller That's Streaming For Free

2019 was a big year for Sydney Sweeney, marking her debut as Cassie Howard in HBO's "Euphoria." That proved to be her breakout role, but it wasn't her only memorable performance of 2019. That same year appeared in "Clementine" as Lana, a mysterious and beguiling figure who enters into a complicated relationship with another woman trying to reckon with a recently-ended love affair. Like Sweeney's character, the movie is hard to pin down. As Variety's Lisa Kennedy noted in her review, you're never quite sure whether this is "a coming-of-age meditation or a psychosexual thriller," a "breakup drama or simmering horror flick," making it a compelling watch throughout. All of which makes it a shame this one got lost in the shuffle — a result of having been overshadowed by Sweeney's "Euphoria" debut and the global pandemic of 2020. Thankfully, "Clementine" is now available to watch for free over on one of the best streaming services available, Tubi.

Sweeney hasn't always had the easiest time outside of "Euphoria." Thanks to the $100 million box office smash hit "Anyone But You" and her lead performance in Paul Feig's excellent, wicked drama "The Housemaid," the actor has managed to remain relevant. But Sweeney's 2025 film "Americana" was ignored at the box office and "Madame Web" speaks for itself.

That said, Sweeney has always subverted expectations and will no doubt continue to see success in the coming years. Heck, she has already overcome perceptions of her as an attractive young actor with little else to offer via excellent performances in a range of projects, many of which simply haven't been given the attention they deserve. "Clementine" is just one example.

/Film's list of the best Sydney Sweeney movies is a testament to the actor's versatility, with everything from romantic comedies to the intense, nerve wracking portrait of United States Air Force veteran Reality Winner that was "Reality." 2019's "Clementine" is harder to define but just as worthy of your attention.

The film is written and directed by Lara Jean Gallagher, and represents the Pennsylvania-native's debut narrative feature following a series of short films and commercials. It tells the story of 30-year-old Karen (Otmara Marrero), who, having broken up with her older girlfriend, D (Sonya Walger), travels to her ex's lake house to take stock of the relationship. There, she meets 19-year-old Lana (Sweeney), who's first seen sunbathing by the lake and very quickly captures Karen's attention. As the pair grow closer, Karen suddenly finds herself in a similar situation to D in her former relationship. Wary of developing feelings for someone significantly younger, yet hopelessly drawn to Lana, Karen has to navigate a delicate relationship. 

Gallagher told Movablefest that with "Clementine" she wanted to interrogate the often contradictory nature of female relationships. "I was just really just interested in exploring female relationships," she said, "and how it can feel like a sister dynamic or like rivals, or like a mother/daughter at times or even sexual in nature all at the same time." That can be seen in the often confounding connection between Karen and Lana, which  makes for a movie that's at once tense and touching, hazy yet sharp.

Prior to her "Euphoria" debut, Sydney Sweeney was making a name for herself with roles in Netflix series "Everything Sucks!" and HBO's "Sharp Objects," in which she played a psychiatric patient Alice alongside Amy Adams' Camille Preaker. Sweeney also played Eden Spencer in Season 2 of "The Handmaid's Tale" and her star was clearly on the rise. It's a shame, then, that "Clementine" flew under the radar in the way that it did, as it boasts an enigmatic yet darkly enchanting performance from Sweeney that surely would have helped boost her profile had the film received more attention.

"Clementine" premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival ahead of distributor Oscilloscope Pictures releasing the film on virtual screens in May 2020 — a late pivot that came in the wake of the global pandemic. It managed a perfectly respectable 62% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and while that may seem slightly underwhelming, certain critics were all in on Lara Gallagher's psychological thriller.

The aforementioned Lisa Kennedy praised Sweeney for "deftly shape-shift[ing] from late teen to younger — too young? — often within the same scene," while Slant's Jake Cole was convinced that Gallagher is "every bit as adept as Josephine Decker and the Safdie brothers are at wringing unease from the most mundane of scenarios." David Ehrlich of IndieWire might have felt the film was "too prone to navel-gazing to leave a strong impression" but Nell Minow of RogerEbert.com seemed to enjoy what she described as an "exploration of the shifting power in relationships with striking images and overtones of duality." So, if you're looking for a good psychological thriller, "Clementine" is arguably one of the best movies on Tubi right now.