Filmmaker Luca Guadagnino is one of the most exciting, truthful, and romantic directors of our time. Through his captivating storytelling abilities, audiences have a tendency to connect with the characters in his films and feel deeply for them. His new film Bones and All is no exception to this. Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet star as Maren and Lee, respectively, two young adults who feel alone and isolated in the world. Through their journey of self-discovery and confusion, they cross paths and realize they both share the same hunger for people. They are “eaters,” cannibals who don’t want to hurt people, but were born with this intense need to eat other people. Even though this film deals with lots of dark themes, at its core, it’s a love story. Two people who feel unworthy of love fall madly for one another.
Guadagnino does a beautiful job of blending the two genres of horror and romance in a way that makes this movie unlike any other. The story is so original, which, combined with the brilliant acting and beautiful cinematography, makes Bones and All a must-watch. It may not be a movie you would watch with your family or something you’ll love if you mind seeing gore on-screen, but it truly is a fantastic film that should be seen by everyone. This is not the first time Guadagnino and Chalamet have worked together. The two collaborated on the 2017 romance/drama Call Me By Your Name. Chalamet received his first Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Elio in this film, and his performance as Lee in Bones and All is arguably even better. Here are eight reasons why you should see Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All.
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8 The Cinematic Value
MGM
Regardless of your feelings on the plot of Bones and All, it is undeniable that the film has beautiful cinematography. Starting with the use of colors that help make Maren and Lee stand out in a world where most of the time they feel alone, drained, and confused. The way Guadagnino is able to use different camera angles and shots that make us feel close and sympathetic toward two people who are inevitably hurting innocent people is incredible. Throughout the film, we are shown beautiful locations in nature that look truly breathtaking on film, from waterfalls and corn fields to big open spaces of land accompanied by a soft sunset.
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7 Blending Two Genres
When people see that Bones and All is about two cannibals, they automatically assume that the movie lies within the horror genre. Although there is a decent amount of blood, gore, and violence that takes place throughout the story, Bones and All is a love story at its core. It is about two people who feel alone in this world finding each other and supporting one another while living this very different lifestyle. It’s hard to think of a film that does a better job than this one at blending two genres together so seamlessly. Horror and romance may not be the most obvious pairing, but Guadagnino does such an impressive job at it.
6 Mark Rylance’s Performance
There’s no shortage of brilliant Mark Rylance performances. The actor has been a successful member of the industry for countless years, starring in films such as The Outfit, The BFG, and Don’t Look Up, and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 2015 film Bridge of Spies. In Bones and All, Rylance plays an older man named Sully, who attempts to befriend Maren and guide her in her journey of being an “eater.” Things take an even darker turn than expected when it is clear that Sully has an obsession with Maren and stops at nothing to get close to her. This performance is incredible and definitely one of Rylance’s most compelling roles to date.
5 David Kajganich’s Incredible Screenplay
Another aspect of Bones and All that makes it such a must-watch is how compelling the story is. The way Maren and Lee communicate with one another is so innocent and gentle, considering how violent the nature of their existence is. The way they are able to aid each other so honestly and be a safety net with no judgment is beautiful. The screenplay was written by David Kajganich and is adapted from the 2015 coming-of-age novel written by Camille DeAngelis. The story is gripping, compelling, and beautifully written.
4 Taylor Russell’s Vulnerability
The connection we feel between Maren and Lee is entirely due to the talent and chemistry between Taylor Russell and Chalamet. It is a powerful ability to make audiences fall in love with a character that is so unsettling. We may not entirely understand her urges, but we definitely develop a connection to the character and care about what happens to her by the end of the film. The performance Russell gives feels very open and vulnerable. Russell has done a considerable amount of work before Bones and All, including Waves, Lost in Space, Escape Room, and Words on Bathroom Walls.
3 Timothée Chalamet’s Complex Performance
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Chalamet is one of the most beloved actors working today, and his performance in Bones and All is arguably his best performance to date. Guadagnino has said that Chalamet was the perfect person to play Lee and since the two had such a pleasant experience working on Call Me by Your Name together, it was a no-brainer for him to join the project. Chalamet has starred in Dune, Beautiful Boy, Lady Bird, Pretty Woman, and received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role as Elio in Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name. Lee is probably the character in this film that we are able to sympathize the most with. He has genuine remorse about what he has done and uncertainty and confusion about who he is evokes feelings in audiences about our own insecurities.
2 The Underlying Meaning
From the outside, Bones and All is a horror film, but when you look closer at it, the blood and cannibalism only mask the true meaning of the film, which deals with love, outcasts, and our own self-worth. If you take something away from this film, it is hopefully that no matter how alone, isolated, and different we feel, there is someone out there that understands, and that love has no limits. Even when we can’t see why someone would love us unconditionally, there is someone who will. Maren and Lee don’t understand how they got to this point, and they don’t even know if they are good people, but what they do know is that they love each other regardless.
1 The Shocking Ending
The most shocking moment in the entire film takes place in the last ten minutes. Maren and Lee have worked so hard to get their hunger under control and build a “normal” life for themselves, but their love and commitment are tested when they’re faced with a challenge neither of them anticipated. This ending scene is extremely intense and violent, but also heartbreaking. There is no question that audiences will be on the edge of their seats throughout the entire ending. Bones and All is such a beautiful and fantastic film that should be seen at least once by everyone.
