Review: ‘Bones and All’ embraces the complex feelings felt on- and off-screen
Bones and All is a cannibal love story, equal parts grisly horror and intimate romance, taking audiences on a disturbing journey of self-discovery.
Over time, some subjects became very taboo. In addition to often being against the law, they are also considered morally reprehensible by many people. If anyone does engage in these acts, they’re performed in secret due to the potential for shame, condemnation and criminal prosecution. In spite of the consequences, some people cannot resist the urge to participate in the rebuked activity, giving in to their undesirable needs for survival or satisfaction. In Bones and All, a young woman has an uncontrollable appetite for the unmentionable, leading to a life that necessitates loneliness… until she discovers others who share her tastes.
Maren (Taylor Russell) is a typical teen, living with her father who’s raised her alone ever since she could remember. But there’s something about her that most people could never understand or accept — she craves human flesh. Fear of discovery keeps her on the move, propelled by a longing to find her birth mother in the hopes of answers no one else can provide. However, she’s shocked to find others who share her unusual tastes along the way. These strangers have been satisfying their need to eat for much longer than Maren, honing their unique skills and methods. First is the somewhat off-putting Sully (Mark Rylance), followed by the more age appropriate travel companion, Lee (Timothée Chalamet).
Director Luca Guadagnino has built his feature career on fictions that make audiences uncomfortable. Whether the uneasiness arises from inappropriate relationships or unsettling artistic expression, he pushes viewers to embrace characters and situations they may not usually seek. Now, he’s brought a cannibal love story to the screen. These strangers find kinship over their shared desire to consume other people, accepting each other’s blood-soaked bibs and stained faces. Lee’s lone wolf attitude wanes in the presence of another “eater” near his own age and of the opposite sex. In fact, Maren is only one of two female cannibals represented.
Yet, there are a number of personalities depicted, from fatalistic and accepting to spiritual and unhinged to freakish and mercurial. Much like sharing any other trait or interest with another person, one will feel a connection with some and an abhorrence for others. This world is wholly new for Maren and viewers are discovering it alongside her. The film seamlessly shifts back-and-forth between romance and horror, transitioning from intimate scenes of self-discovery and connection to violent, ravenous eating. The repulsion of the latter is not downplayed as violent murders are followed by bloody feasts and intermittent mortification — though the more brutal parts of these scenes are relatively brief.
In many ways, their urges are treated as an addiction with the occasional hint of a classic movie monster. The cast is excellent, each having a profound understanding of their character’s fears and desires, particularly Russell and Chalamet. These individuals are driven by need and emotion, which can make for volatile interactions. Yet, there is a sweetness that underlies the narrative, which will have audiences rooting for the fine young cannibals.
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Starring: Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet and Mark Rylance
