My Review of Bones And All (2022)

 

Written by David Kajganich

Directed by Luca Guadagnino 

Maren: "I don't wanna hurt anybody."

Lee: "Famous last words."

Earlier this week, I rewatched Call Me By Your Name, so I thought I'd catch up with this somewhat less queer romance movie that packed a different kind of bite instead. Perhaps don't eat anything when watching this.

Focusing on a young girl named Maren Yearly (Taylor Russell), you'd think she was an ordinary teenager but an incident at a sleepover revealed thst she had a thing for human flesh. She ate another girl's finger and it was enough for Maren's father, Frank (Andre Holland) to abandon her on her 18th birthday.

For Maren being abandoned by her father meant that she decided she was going to track down her mother (who also had a penchant for human flesh). Along the way she ended up meeting fellow cannibals.

The first one being the rather creepy Sully (Mark Rylance). While he would later turn on Maren, Sully was important in getting Maren to recognise fellow cannibals but he also resented her breaking away from his influence and his attempts to get back at her took a rather dark turn.

Then there was Lee (Timothee Chalamet). The love interest. The bad boy. The guy who also learned about the "bones and all" method of eating that would come back to haunt both him and Maren. The guy who also hooked up with a bloke before eating him, killed Sully and had his own traumatic family shit to deal with as well.

As a central romance, it a bit more understated but nicely done nonetheless. Ultimately Maren and Lee aren't exactly couple goals but they do try their hand at domestic living before everything went to shit for them. Let's just say, it was an all consuming love affair between the two of them.

- We did meet Maren's mother, Janelle (Chloe Sevigny), who at some point clearly ate her own arms off. Oh and Lee's sister, Kayla (Anna Cobb).

- Recent Halloween trilogy director, David Gordon Green briefly appeared as paraphilic cannibal Brad. Jessica Harper and Michael Stuhlbarg also appear in smaller roles.

- The movie is an adaptation of Camille DeAngelis book of the same name.

- Maren's haircut was influenced by a character from The Silence Of The Lambs.

- Standout music: Duran Duran's Save A Prayer, Animotion's Obsession and Joy Division's Atmosphere.

- Chronology: 1988, taking in Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan.

Bones And All was a delightfully offbeat and macabre take on the usual young adults romance with excellent performances from both Taylor Russell and Timothee Chalamet. While it's gruesome in some parts, it never veered into unnecessary tastelessness. It's well worth a watch. 

Rating: 8 out of 10