Bones and All is a romantic drama film which stars Hollywood’s darling and the next Leonardo DiCaprio – Timothee Chalamet and along with him the film stars Taylor Russell, Mark Rylance, Chloe Sevigny, Michael Stuhlbarg, Madeleine Hall and Jessica Harper. The film is directed by Luca Guadagnino with a screenplay from David Kajganich. The film is a an adaptation of Camille DeAngelis’ 2015 book of the same name. The film’s premise is absolutely outrageous and bold, “a story of first love between Maren, a young woman learning how to survive on the margins of society, and Lee, an intense and disenfranchised drifter; a liberating road odyssey of two young people coming into their own, searching for identity and chasing beauty in a perilous world that cannot abide who they are.”
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a good romantic film and that is why I’ve stopped believing that this genre will ever be something I can grow fond of. I’ve loved Timothee Chalamet almost in everything that I’ve seen of him and since his perfect casting as Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi masterpiece Dune, which was in my opinion was the best film of 2021. However, that may just have been because I’m a huge fan of Frank Herbert’s Dune Novel series. So, from then I’m excited about almost anything that he is a part of. This film premiered in the 79th Venice Film Festival for a limited audience and the critics. As this film too didn’t have a release in India I had to wait for it to arrive on digital and now as it is here, I’ve seen it and I’ve some thoughts that I’d like to share.
Rating – ★★★
Bones and All Review: Does it work?
Just to be clear because I was startled by this, Timothee Chalamet is not the protagonist of this film. In fact he is very much a second lead. It is Taylor Russell’s Maren who is in the middle of this story. In fact Chalamet comes in at the 30 minute mark. Taylor Russel’s performance is very good in the film and Chalamet is of course as good as he always is. However, the star of the film has to be Mark Rylance’s Sully who is extremely creepy, empathetic and dangerous. He is absolutely brilliant and I’d have love to see more of him in the film.
So, as this is an adaption, it means that many things in the overarching story of the book have been taken out and it shows. There are moments and tracks in Bones and All which I can imagine were very important in the book and they’ve been handled very carefully however, because the director has to tell this story in 120 minutes the movies does feel fragmented as it lacks a logical causality of sorts at times. The film unlike Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name isn’t visually spectacular and colorful. It is quite understated and grim.
However, I believe that this is done intentionally as the understated visual treatment of the film makes the gore in the film seem more horrifying. The screenplay can feel a bit convenient at times but the scene design is on point. The film opens on a banging note as Maren goes for a sleepover and there is nothing seemingly wrong with her until out of nowhere she starts sucking and chewing her friends finger. That scene hits you because you were not anticipating it. It was handled very well.
Afterwards due to her father’s reaction we realize that this has happened before. After this the scenes with Sully are tension filled and then disgusting as Maren and Sully both eat an old woman. However, this is not the classy Hannibal way of cannibalism. It is extremely primal and raw. These people are shown to have an inner hunger that demands human meat. It is not one of two people but an entire gang who can smell each other. The scene with Maren’s mother is the most powerful one as that really disturbs you and makes you question a lot of things. The gore in the film is very brutal as well, no one is trying to hide the disgusting nature of cannibalism.
The scene with Lee’s dad is also something that is extremely emotional and twisted. It is important for you to realise that this is not a film for everyone and I don’t mean that because of the gore but because the film asks you to relate, feel and root for extremely bad people who if you met them in real life you wouldn’t want any association but because you’re meeting them through the medium of cinema you have the luxury of understanding them. The end of the film does feel like it was attached with the rest of the story.
Again I believe this is because it is an adaptation. Where pieces of the story seem to be missing. However, if you’re okay with that then the ending is heartbreaking and in a twisted way emotional and romantic. Lee asking Maren to eat him bones and all feels like the conclusion that this film could’ve had because this is not a La La Land where they’re going to get a perfect end. I just would’ve liked to see the screenplay to be done in a more cohesive way, where events are smoothly connected to each other.
Verdict
Bones and All is an extremely interesting watch but you’d have to have a strong stomach. I have complaints from the film but the sincere performances from Chalamet, Russell and Rylance make the film work. The film despite not being color is extremely beautiful. It is well directed and definitely fascinating but if the screenplay would’ve been done better then it would’ve made my list of the best movies of 2022. However, for now it is a good film but not the best film this year has to offer. That being said, if you don’t mind all the things I’ve mentioned regarding the film then I would definitely recommend this movie. I’ll rate Bones and All 3 out of 5 stars.
Bones and All is available for purchase on Digital.
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