Every single human being on this planet is not the same. We may appear similar through superficial actions, but each of us has something unique about us. Let’s get straight to the point. Cannibalism is a rare occurrence that has become popular through books, television, folklore, movies, video games, and sadly enough, circumstances involving real-life crimes. Over the past several years, feasting on human flesh has been a theme of movies lately, especially the horror genre. While it’s nothing new, each movie tackles such themes in varying tones, subject matter, and grisly images. Bones and All is no different.  

Based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Camille DeAngelis, the story involves a young woman who seeks to understand herself and the world around her, all while dealing with the insatiable urge to consume human flesh. The movie tackles themes of self-discovery, self-loathing, and the quest for acceptance in this world. Starring Taylor Russell as Maren, she’s the young lady the movie is all about. Maren has trouble meeting people and forming a connection. She has seemingly struggled with this for years. She lives with her father in Virginia, and it’s the 1980s. From the aesthetic in the trailer home, the vehicles on the road, and the aged product placement scattered around, Bones and All brings the 80s to life.  

Maren is invited to a sleepover at another classmate’s house, which Maren wishes to accept even though her father (Andre Holland) would never approve. At the sleepover, Maren suddenly attacks the young woman who invited her and hastily leaves the scene. The classmate is not killed but is horrifically maimed. Upon informing her father what happened, he and Maren flee the area, never to return. They live under false identities, and after Maren turns eighteen, her father leaves her to fend for herself, leaving only a tape recorder to explain this dramatic event in her life.  

We learn that Maren has always had these cannibalistic urges since she was very young. We don’t know why this is so, but her father doesn’t have all the answers. Leaving Maren with some money and her birth certificate, Maren sets out to find the answers. Her mother left when she was too young to remember, and perhaps if she could locate her mother, then maybe some pieces to the puzzle would fit in. Thus begins Maren’s adventure.  

Traveling by bus, Maren heads northwest toward Minnesota to locate her mother. After several stops along the way, Maren meets two people who will alter her life. Being sheltered most of her life, Maren hasn’t seen much of the outside world. Her father hoping that her dark secret will remain quiet; she is now out in the big world and has no idea what’s in store for her.  

The first person she meets is Sully (Mark Rylance). They meet at a bus stop in Ohio. She discovers that they are both the same. They have the urge to consume human flesh. Since Maren is so young and Sully is much older, he offers her a place to stay and educates her on the rules a cannibal must follow. Everyone has their own set of rules, and this serves as the introduction to the “how to be a cannibal for dummies” class. In the house, the occupant, an older woman, is upstairs near death. Sully informs Maren about how to smell when death is near and that there are many other “Eaters.” It appears that the “Eaters” are part of this world but remain closeted to society. In fact, Sully could smell Maren and identify her as an “Eater” when she arrived at the bus stop. 

Moving on, Maren meets Lee (Timothee Chalamet) in Indiana, and wouldn’t you know it, he too is an “Eater.” Together they embark on this journey to locate Maren’s mother. They form a friendship and discover what it truly means to engage in cannibalism. What one cannibal does to find food differs from how Maren would choose to do so. She witnesses violence, engages in conversations with other “Eaters,” and is often revolted by what she encounters. Even Sully appears later in several scenes as he continually follows Maren and Lee across the Midwest, apparently hurt by her leaving him. Maren wants to dictate her life as she sees fit and wishes to alter the course of her life, even if the urge to consume human flesh is something that she herself can’t control.  

Aside from the grisly images, intense subject matter, and bold sexuality on display in Bones and All, this is a movie that isn’t built on just displaying acts of violence, but the cannibalism scenes aren’t shot with wonder or curiosity. They are more presented as shock value. Personally, I’m not a fan of witnessing bodies being dismembered or devoured, but it at least should give the audience something to talk about. The French Film Raw was supremely graphic and controversial, but it was done with flair and got people conversing. Bones and All is a well-intentioned romantic drama that benefits from the chemistry between Russell and Chalamet, but the script is overstuffed with tedious moments and a third act that feels cheaply thrown in and unconvincing.  

Director Luca Guadagnino, who is not shy to controversy, has crafted a good-looking film and solid performances from its cast. Chalamet is good here, but Taylor Russell really shines in this film. This is her character’s story, and seeing her realize what her life is about to be is the heart of the movie and the understanding of how this life will impact her emotionally. 

Score 3 out of 5 

Bones and All is a good film for a character study, although generally, movies involving themes of cannibalism aren’t exactly the most entertaining to watch. If you’re here to witness the chemistry between Russell and Chalamet, then you’ll get your money’s worth. As a movie, Bones and All is overlong, grisly to a fault, and yet wins us over with the power of its two leads. It’s a movie about self-discovery, self-discipline, and the idea of exploring your own path in a world of differences between others. For all its worth, Bones and All may test your patience and the will to munch on your snacks, but the performances and overall themes may just win you over.