“Bones and All” leaves viewers with a lot to chew on
Based on a book written by Camille DeAngelis, “Bones and All” is a new romance drama movie directed by Luca Guadagnino, starring Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet. From the beginning to the end, there are many plots and subplots that are overall unpredictable and build to the point where it becomes unclear which storyline is the main one. While the cinematography may be beautiful, “Bones and All” is not for the faint of heart.
The movie follows Maren Yearly, played by Russell, in her search to find her mother as well as answers as to why she eats people. Along the way Maren meets characters such as love interest Lee, played by Chalamet, and Sully, played by Mark Rylance. The love story is one that is both easy to root for and extremely complex below the surface level.
Going into the movie, knowing it’s about cannibalism is essential, yet it won’t fully prepare you for what you are about to see. Although implied in the trailer, the level of gore is higher than anticipated and takes away from the film. It is wonderfully filmed, but there is no doubt that what most viewers took away from the movie was the violence and the images that came with it.
Russell and Chalamet create a relationship that can be found semi-relatable to teenagers, if you take away the cannibalism. Chalamet being one of the most known members of the cast raised the expectations I had for his performance, and he met them. He does a great job of playing a teenage boy in love, and he particularly touches on the guilt and anger that comes with his character.
Casting Rylance as Sully was one of the best casting choices in the movie. His character is a man who, in the beginning, tries to be a father figure to Russell’s character, but his offset personality moves her away from him. Rylance does a wonderful job of making the character one that is uncomfortable to watch, and Russell does a wonderful job of matching the audience’s uncomfortable energy.
Overall, “Bones and All” is a captivating story with strong actors and actresses behind the intricate characters that bring the story to life. Side characters leave lasting impressions, and throughout the whole movie you never know who will show up again. If you choose to watch the movie, prepare yourself for many ups and downs, as well as images that will stick to your brain, specifically in your nightmares.
