Bones and All (2022)

Director: Luca Guadagnino

On paper, Luca Guadagnino's new film shouldn't work; A romance-horror film about two cannibals travelling across America. But, it does work. And it's incredible.

Bones and All, based on the novel by Camille DeAngelis, stars Taylor Russell as Maren, a young girl who sets off to find her estranged mother after being left by her father, and meets Timothée Chalamet's Lee. Guadagnino has shown his capability in the romance and horror genres, with Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria respectively, and he blends the two with ease in Bones and All. I read the book around one week before seeing the film premiere at London Film Festival in early October, and something I loved was the balance between showing Lee and Maren's relationship and the gore of their story. This was translated perfectly onto the screen, making you care for them both at times whilst still feeling uncomfortable and scared by the horror.

Along the way, Maren and Lee meet others who are like them; Mark Rylance's terrifying Sully and Michael Stuhlbarg's uncomfortable Jake. However, I found that how I felt towards them was starkly different to my feelings towards the former. With Sully and Jake, they utterly repulsed me, leaving me feeling uneasy and disturbed whenever they were on screen. They seemed to have accepted their need for other humans, unafraid to share it, and unfazed by living on the edge of society. In contrast, I found myself caring for Maren and wanting her to be safe, which seems weird considering her nature. She is shown as human, deeply rejecting this part of herself until she realises it's how she will survive. This is something Guadagnino excels in, whether it's Elio from Call Me By Your Name or Fraser and Caitlin from We Are Who We Are, he manages to make you care about his characters.

At the forefront of the film is Maren and Lee's relationship that forms during their journey. They're both young people, isolated and living on the outskirts of society. Many people will be able to relate to this idea, even if not to the particular reason shown in the film. They both find solace and comfort in one another, with them understanding each others feelings and situation. Lee respects Maren's want to find her mother, even if he thinks nothing will come of it. Whilst the fact that they're cannibals is never ignored, we frequently see them seeking victims and eating, it can also be seen as a metaphor for being someone who doesn't know where they fit in.

The final 30 minutes of the film is a masterclass in filmmaking and acting. The performances of Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, and Mark Rylance shine, with Maren's innocence being starkly contrasted against her cannibalistic ways. The film flickers between the quiet, stillness of the outside world and the chaos of Maren and Lee's life, with their love for and need to protect each other consuming them. Maren is a powerful character; she has a need to find her mother and won't give up, she has the ability to hold her own, even when meeting the unsettiling Sully. She brings out a vulnerability in Lee, allowing him to open up toher about his life and his family, something sacred to him. Taylor Russell brings Maren to life, her innocence shown in the sometimes child-like clothes she wears, and her strength and fearlessness shown at various points in the film. Timothée Chalamet perfectly captures the confidence of Lee, unafraid to seek out his victims and accustomed to living like this, whilst also showing his insecurity and his craving for love. After telling Maren what he did to his father, he asks her 'You don't think I'm a bad person?'. He seeks reassurance, to know he's not a monster for what he did, and he trusts Maren to give him that.

'Let's be people'. Bones and All shows its two protagonists as humans, craving the love and security they feel they don't deserve. Their otherness has left them disenfranchised, lonely, and isolated, a feeling many viewers can empathise with. The acting, direction, writing, cinematography, and score make this film a must-see, especially on the big screen.