You don't expect a road-trip movie about cannibals to change your worldview, but Bones and All is poignant enough to do just that. Director Luca Guadagnino (Suspiria) and screenwriter David Kajganich (A Bigger Splash) take Camille DeAngelis's novel of the same name and beautifully depict the story of two young people who desire to be loved and accepted for who they are. The film so perfectly blends dark humor, a budding coming-of-age romance, and some horrific violence, unraveling the idea of social consciousness and getting down to the root of what it is to be human. 

Recently abandoned by her father, Maren (Taylor Russell, Waves) is desperately looking for her place in society when she comes across an intense drifter, Lee (Timothée Chalamet, Dune). He’s also on the run from his past and unsure of what type of future he deserves. Within a glance and a sniff, they recognize each other as “eaters'', and the pairing is kismet. They’re able to find liberation within one another as they embark on a voyage through the vast midwest hoping to discover their identity.

Every performance in Bones And All is stellar. Despite being barely present in the film, Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me By Your Name), Chloë Sevigny (We Are Who We Are), and Mark Rylance (Dunkirk) provide these masterclass portrayals. This is especially true for Rylance's performance, which is so uncomfortable it will make your skin crawl. He plays another “eater” who develops an unhealthy obsession with Maren. He offers an anxiety-inducing presence that you will love to hate experiencing.

But in the end, the film belongs to Russell and Chalamet. Together they seek out a better, lighter, more joyful life, and the story they offer ignites that spark of excitement you experienced after meeting the person you hold most dearly in life. 

Russell's performance in the film is astounding. The control she holds over Maren’s narrative keeps the audience by her side in spite of some of her more devious actions. As she embarks on her journey, Maren is in search of her estranged mother, hoping that she’ll hold the answers to what causes her grotesque appetite. The anguish she feels throughout her journey is deeply understood thanks to Russell. The audience can so easily empathize with her struggle to belong and, at times, her self hatred. But for Maren, that all starts to fade away after running into a bloodsoaked Chalamet. He offers up another amazing performance that is completely distinctive from any of his previous works. He’s much more sly and seductive than before. It was honestly quite a shock to witness him execute such a subdued and tortured delivery. 

By setting the story in the mid 80s, the film has a distinct presence. Some may even draw considerable comparisons between the “eaters” and the queer community of that time - not that cannabalism and queerness should be seen as similar, but in how invisible fringe communities could be in that period. During the height of the AIDS epidemic, society imposed a great deal of shame and undue judgment onto groups they were unaccustomed to or unfamiliar with. Without the modern resources and the growing societal understanding we have today, finding your community as a queer person in the 80’s - particularly in a region like the midwest - was incredibly difficult to say the least, and feeling like an outsider could make that sense of isolation feel devastating. Through this admittedly obscure vehicle of cannibalism, Bones And All captures that notion in a way that is sure to resonate with unexpected flair. Our protagonists are the same as me and you - just people trying to find their place in the world as they search for an affirming kinship, hoping their mistakes won’t be held against them forever. 

The visuals in the film are stunning; a component of that aforementioned “flair”. Cinematographer Arseni Khachaturan (Aviva) captures Guadagnino style with his fast pans, tender close ups, and lush shots of open landscapes. The film was not as gory as I initially hoped for. I felt the same way about 2018’s Suspiria. But with both films, by the time the credits rolled, I was thankful for the limited scope of the carnage. An overuse of blood and guts would’ve run the risk of taking away from Guadagnino’s artistry. This is a film that knows how to be in your face without being too over the top, culminating to a final act that had me on the edge of my seat.

Bones and All is so much more than a “cannibal love story”. It’s a transformative experience. The film explores the longing for love and the joy that comes from finding the one who makes you feel truly seen. When it seems that someone is plagued to aimlessly drift through a life void of meaning, it makes finding a connection like the one that is explored in this film all too rare, but entirely rapturous - perhaps even euphoric - when it’s found. Bones and All is not only a story about the desire for human flesh, but also the insatiable desire for emotional intimacy. 

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2| Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1| Reviewer's Preference -2 

10/12 ForReel Score | 4/5