Cool idea but terrible execution. The first minutes are okay but then it doesn't make sense.
Looked interesting at the start, but went nowhere and took a long time getting there.
I think this is the kind of movie that kinda creeps up on you, it definitely did me. I was initially not that enthusiastic and even a bit underwhelmed by it, but the more I think about it, the more I like it. It finds a way to ground such a fantastical and disturbing concept and make it seem personal and earnest.
Bones and All is nothing more than edgy, dull teenage cannibals taking a boring cross country road trip through poor, rural America, in a world where there apparently is a secret cult of hyper-cannibals (even a toddler at a restaurant) that can smell each other from miles away, and even though they claim there aren't "that many of them".
Aimless is how I would describe Bones and All . I'm fine with the lack of a clear plot, but to not even really explore the characters or their motivations felt disappointing to me. I would've loved some more backstory on why they are the way that they are.
This movie throws off the weirdest vibes. It feels like a teen drama in some parts, and a hardcore cannibal film in others. It's like someone came up with a SNL parody of a YA road trip romance movie ("What if, instead of vampires or werewolves, they were cannibals?! Innovation. ") and instead of playing it for laughs, they played it completely straight. It just felt like a romance story that was originally about two people struggling with addiction on a road trip, and then the cannibalism was added before filming because writers saw that the romance part is just boring and had to add something to make their movie watchable. Sorry, but the romance was horrible - cheesy and corny as f**k. The dynamic between Lee and Maren didn't work for me, their relationship going from "I'm an outsider, I'm feeling alien, I know how you feel" to "I'm in love with you" in like...5 minutes. And every single dialogue between them is done in whispers, this felt very wannabe arthouse.
To me, the most interesting thing about the film was the way it wrestled with the ethics of dealing with cannibalistic compulsion. Also, I liked the searching for Maren's mom part to understand who she is. But Chloe Sevigny was completely wasted here, her scene came off as ridiculous. After that the movie turned into a YA snoozefest, and I lost interest. The third act is super drawn out. I thought at the beginning once Maren ate that girls finger that it was gonna be this wild rock and roll film, boy was I wrong because this movie is so slow.
As soon as I saw the premise, I knew it would end with either the girl eating the guy or vice versa. Predictable ending. I really didn't care for the final scene much at all, the overly melodramatic ending with her eating him was just so expected, and it tonally felt so off from the rest of the movie for me. That whole last sequence made my eyes roll. :rolling_eyes: I felt this could have ended with "let’s be people for awhile".
I'm not saying it's a bad movie. It's genuinely very well made, the technical aspects and the filmmaking is done really well, acting is okay. From a horror angle, it was effective and made me very uncomfortable. But ultimately the film is centered around a romance story that is just average, nothing more. I don't know how the script managed to make this interesting concept utterly boring.
If I was a goth middle schooler with a livejournal this would be right up my alley. Lol this fucking movie has a “The End” title card after the credits. WTF?
If you have a craving for road movies, Bones and All could one day be one of your starters. It serves an atmospherically filmed journey across poor parts of America where the cannibals deal with coming of age, regrets, loneliness and ‘fitting in’ whilst searching for truth in their broken lives. The middle section of the movie could have accommodated more of the latter parts of the story so the relationship and side characters (they meet along the way) would have had more time to flourish.
The best part of this is the music, Trent and Atticus doing a great job again, but this time with more acoustic offerings which is a pleasant surprise. The worst part is Timmy's pants!!
I feel like this could have been so much better, but it's just Bonnie & Clyde for cannibals.
Poor Sully.
its not a bad movie, but its not a great either. soundtrack was pretty cool, the gore was suddenly and gruesome. the story itself is nothing spectacular and could happen in antother scenario aswell.
In a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you wanted to vomit the entire movie?
I had very high expectation from finally an Italian film distributed abroad in the mainstream cinema circuit. However, from the very first instant, the film looked like a 100% American movie.
This is marginal however, as the film does not stand, the plot does not make much sense the way it is assembled, it lacks foundations, it does not leave many insights at the end. Even the acting is not so inspired (even by Rylance, who usually does not disappoint).
In the times that Ozzy said that he miraculously survived them, but remembers little, people did different things and everything happened to them. Why couldn’t it be like in a movie filled to the brim with sun, youth and smoke of funny cigarettes? Moments are worth eternity. But ... even the Summer of Love does not tolerate monsters
Disturbing in many ways, some wrong, some right (that mullet was magnificent tho)
A coming of age slow drama horror romance with strong themes such as loneliness, mental struggle, hope and deep ethical questions. Set in the 80s with two outcasts questionning they're righteousness in the world they live in is a metaphor that resonates greatly and I found it quite emotional for that. The romance part was alright but I would of liked less of it and more resolution on the moral and ethical questions that were brought - That's what was interesting to me. It can't really be any better on a technical aspect everything was great. Superb acting from Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet but Mark Rylance absolutely stole the show his character was so creepy and I felt stressed and uneasy whenever he was around. It gets very bloody, gory and disturbing but the camera did cut away from the disgusting stuff on a few occasion. Loved the third act and ending but it didn't hit me emotionally as it was probably supposed to.
Of course critics loved this movie.
Like getting stabbed with a hunting knife, the shock of it penetrating you is pleasurable, but after it draws first blood you want it to go harder and deeper.
Not having even heard of the book, let alone read it, and not having watched any trailer for this film, I went into Bones and All completely blind. Judging by the poster, I expected a simple indie romance. I was pleasantly surprised.
The initial twist in the beginning was a slap in the face that made me sit up and pay attention. Unfortunately, nothing that happened afterwards attained that same level of intensity.
The film walks a tightrope between romance and horror, though very clearly falls into the safety net on the romantic side.
The originality of the script pleased me and Timothée Chalamet did a very solid job as the male lead, so despite it's slow descent into normality Bones and All is all that.
Creepy. Gruesome. Very good.
I'd totally recommend 'Bones and All'. I found plenty of enjoyment across the just over 2hr run time, despite plenty of unsettling moments scattered in there. I personally found the first half stronger than what follows it, though all in all it's a movie I had a positive time with.
Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet, two actors who give impressive showings in this 2022 production. Russell kinda outshines Chalamet in parts, but the latter does come up trumps with some strong emotion near the end. One thing's certain though: Mark Rylance is the star of the show, for my money at least. What a performance, loved every second of him being onscreen. Simply the perfect actor for the role of Sully!
A well made film, props to 'em for sticking with the creepiness of the story too. I mentioned recently after watching 'Saltburn' that I was disturbed. In that sense, well, that was child's play compared to this! Big fan of these sorta flicks that make you feel uncomfortable.
Coming of age for cannibals. So relatable, we've all been there.
Hmmmm, not sure what the hell I just watched. A horror love story? A horror story full of love? Never heard of the book so I wasn't really sure what this was about. I was somewhat right but not right in the who & how....and the big disappointmentfor me was, I didn't really understand "why". I kept watching the movie thinking that part was coming but never did.
Excellent creepiness. Rylance is outstanding. Russell & Chalamet shine as well. Unique lovestory w a healthy dose of gore. Did feel longer than it needed w some chapters dragging a little too long, but a good effort overall. 7.3.
Well, I was surprised by this film considering the plot being a bit unusual and unbelievable; that aside I think it was very well done and acted. The sets and music really made it interesting...well done!
Overall, "Bones and All" presents a unique atmosphere that evokes both the beauty and desolation of the journey, continuously switching from dream to reality. The warm, earthy tones used throughout the film contribute to its sense of intimacy and longing, while also emphasizing the harsh reality of the characters' surroundings. The result is a haunting, decadent mood that never descends into conventional gothic, but rather has a touch of the gritty, low-budget horror films of the 1980s.
Although I found the film mostly effective during its reflective and solitary moments, I struggled to perceive any real chemistry between the two protagonists when they share the screen. Additionally, the choice of the antagonist feels forced and over-the-top, both in terms of acting and writing. The character's role seems contrived and exists solely to get to the point without casting any negative light on the protagonists. Although the conclusion was somewhat predictable, I expected a more organic and relatable connection to the characters' instincts and nature rather than a twist of fate.
I feel this movie didn't resonate with me because I've already seen three movies that tackle a very similar plot and theme and did it (in my opinion) so much better. The love child of Raw, Call Me By Your Name and Let The Right One In, Bones and All struggles to piece together all of its components to make something compelling from the predecessors it's emulating. I think up until the 2/3's mark, the movie is hitting me with all the right angles and questions. The morality of what Lee and Maren are doing, the others afflicted by this compulsion, the metaphors and allegories it conjures up (being gay in the 80s, drug addiction, abuse, the struggle for family and support) are all great stuff, but the movie let's all this weight fall through it's fingers for a pulpy, phoned in finale that requires the viewer to be all in on a relationship we've seen very little screentime of. I can see why some people are besotted by this movie, it feels like a Palme D'or Twilight with everyones favourite Chalamet, but for me it's just missing that final stitch that brings everything together to make it all feel less...hollow? Meh, maybe it just caught me on the wrong day, but this one just didn't hit for me like it seems to have for others.
At its heart, Bones and All is a classic coming-of-age story about two individuals trying to find their place in a dangerous world. The romance juxtaposed to this kind of horror leaves you feeling uniquely unsettled. The story burns slow but has interesting characters portrayed by great performances.
Dark and disturbing; this is a good film overall that offers much food for thought. The violence is sometimes hard to stomach but if you know what the film is about, this is something you should already be prepared for.
A movie about a shared curse, teenage love, and the coming-of-age crisis.
Two young people, drawn to each other by something more than their bloody secret.
A metaphor for common pains and pasts that lead people to another.
It was slow but interesting. 9/10
Rate Connor 0, normal 6.4
Call Me by Your Name if it had more than one cannibal.
Love and emotions between cannibals. That's All.
Surreal, bloody and devastating. This is the latest film by Luca Guadagnino. With a cannibalistic argument, it captures fundamental concepts that begin to be experienced from adolescence: the feeling of loneliness, misunderstanding, the desire to belong and feel part of a group with your peers, the fear of hurting those you love and the decision to walk away to protect them. Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet are in charge of carrying the weight of the leading couple on their shoulders; with adequate chemistry, although not all that the story required. The supporting characters are well executed, along with the technical aspects. It is not disappointing, but it does seem to me that the script was enough for more. It is certainly interesting.
Review by ToralfVIP 3BlockedParent2022-12-02T23:20:16Z
In the past decades, there have been numerous great road movies starring killer couples, such as "Badlands". This list now includes "Bones and All". The (somewhat supernatural) cannibalism approach adds a horror aspect to the usual formula. However, the focus lies more on the love story between the two main characters, Maren (Taylor Russell) and Lee (Timothée Chalamet). Even though much of the violence occurs off-screen, there are some gory moments. The soundscape during these scenes may still give some people nightmares.
Chalamet is, as expected, very good in his role, but Russell can easily keep up with him. There's also the cannibal Sully, a disturbing side character played convincingly by Mark Rylance. As with many other road movies, "Bones and All" delivers great acting performances as well as stunning imagery from a variety of locations. The cinematography is excellent throughout, and director Luca Guadagnino always succeeds in captivating the viewer despite the rather slow-paced narrative.
In the end, the plot is secondary. The story is easy to follow, and the rules for the supernatural cannibals in this world are simple to grasp. Most of the time, it is also clear where the journey is going and what the motivations of the main characters are. Except for a few moments, there isn't much suspense, but the journey is still fascinating until the end.