Bones and All

Directed by Luca Guadagnino

★★★★

It’s the mid-1980s. Kiss blares through the speakers of a, what now would be considered antique, turntable. The cool breeze blows through the Midwest, offering an escape from the heat. An air of provocative uncertainty floods through the veins of everyone it touches. And those veins are exactly what the characters who dominate our screen crave. Veins. Blood. Flesh.

Flesh and sensuality are topics director Luca Guadagnino knows all too well, and he maintains the ability to display these things in such unique and intimate ways, even when he’s showcasing the lives of adolescent cannibals on the brink of love.

It’s hard not to compare Bones and All to Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name. And while the latter is an undeniably superior film, his direction still remains firm on his grasp of adolescence and longing. Every camera placement and frame is intentional, portraying every character's want, need and craving (which takes on a whole other meaning this time around) in such a way that is unmatched by his peers.

Taylor Russel leads the film with an undeniable, yet muted heft. She remains present in almost every second of the film's slightly overlong runtime, maintaining the audience's interest throughout. Guadagnino once again teams up with players (which is how they are credited atthe end of the movie) from many of his previous films. Timothee Chalamet plays Russel’s love interest and continues to illuminate the screen every time he’s on it, opting for his signature angsty-weirdo vibe only he can pull off. Also from Call Me by Your Name, Michael Stuhlbarg is almost completely unrecognizable as a fellow cannibalistic drifter, though significantly more weathered than our protagonists. Chloe Sevigny, David Gordon Green and Andre Holland pop up in small, but significant roles. Yet, despite the stacked roster of dedicated actors, Mark Rylance stands out in particular as Sully, another cannibal, due to his wholly unique and, rather, offputting delivery. He keeps you on the edge of your toes, by simultaneously being sympathetic, unnerving and menacing. It is definitely one of the most unique performances of the year.

While the film does slog a bit of the time, its timing allows for the world to feel lived in and real, even for characters whose “quirk” is a little hard to get behind. Yet, despite its off-putting premise, there is still an emotional connection Bones and All is able to make with its often shocked viewers. The film shocks with surprising amounts of realistic gore. It shocks with its characters' surprising decisions. But mostly, it shocks because of the weight Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ discomforting but beautiful score is able to add as the film moves along.

Bones and All may not be his best, but to compare it to Call Me by Your Name, Guadagnino’s masterpiece, isn’t necessarily a fair standard either. The film is solid and thought provoking in the weirdest of ways. You haven’t seen anything else like it.

The Inspection

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