A transcendent coming-of-age film for the ages.
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"There’s before bones and all, and then there’s after.” That’s a quote plucked straight from the film and it can’t ring any truer.
Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadignino reunites with star Timothee Chalamet to bestow upon us yet another riveting coming-of-age love story that’ll have us talking for days.
Bones and All, based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Camille DeAngelis, features an ensemble cast that includes Taylor Russell, Chalamet, Mark Rylance, Michael Stuhlbarg, André Holland, Chloë Sevigny, David Gordon Green, and Jessica Harper. It follows a pair of young cannibalistic lovers who flee together on a road trip. And that’s all you’ll ever need to know because nothing will quite prepare you for the 130 minutes treat of a film this is.
In its first 10 minutes, the tone is set. It’s quiet and plain, easy on the eyes–until it isn’t. Even then, you might still not be sure what you’ve signed up for. Yes, there’s blood and gore but it isn’t your everyday horror.
Maren (a captivating Russell) is an “Eater”, abandoned and left to her own devices when her father (Holland) decidedly ups and leaves after her latest slip up from biting on a classmate’s finger. He leaves her with a tape recorder and birth certificate which sets her on a quest to track down her mother. She first encounters one of her kind when fellow “Eater” Sully (Rylance) finds her after smelling her from miles away. Eventually, she finds Lee (Chalamet) and bonds with him over their unusual trait. Together they embark on a journey that explores love and their hunger for human flesh.
There’s something so transcendent about Bones and All, despite its stomach-turning nature. Guadagnino proves to be a master at his craft but his success is not without his equally gifted collaborators. From the mesmerising score by award-winning duo Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross and impeccable sound mixing, to the meticulously framed choreography of Arseni Khachaturan, down to the committed performances from the cast–everyone involved plays an integral part in triumphantly bringing DeAngelis’ pages to life.
It goes without saying Chalamet is talented beyond his years but it’s Russell’s turn to shine here. She is to Bones and All what Chalamet was for Call Me By Your Name and they both have Guadagnino to thank for it. Russell instinctively channels Maren with poignant grace. Her performance is quiet and subdued but echoes loud throughout. She’s as generous with giving as she is with sharing, fabricating genuine bonds with co-stars she shares screen time with. It’s unquestionable many will praise the chemistry between her and Chalamet but the one she has with Rylance should not go unnoticed. With Rylance, she takes a backseat as he does most of the leg work with his unhinged portrayal of Sully. It’s uncomfortable and puzzling but dripping of admirable scene-stealer quality.
The rest of the cast may be relegated to cameo appearances but they still deliver significant and memorable performances. Sevigny only has one line but contributes to one of the more shocking scenes in the film. Stuhlbarg who appears as a fellow “Eater” Lee and Maren meet in passing is given the key task of delivering an important monologue to the younger “Eaters”. It’s a lovely callback to his performance as Mr. Perlman who also delivers a memorable monologue in Call Me By Your Name (despite the difference in characteristics). Even Holland, who has minimal screentime and is mostly heard through his tape recordings gives a grounded performance as Maren’s father. Needless to say, everyone deplored in the film absolutely served with a capital S.
Bones and All might leave you feeling queasy and uncomfortable at times but brave past that and you’ll get a charming coming-of-age road trip film for the ages.
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