Timothee Chalamet, relationships, bloodbath: 'Bones and All' review

MANILA, Philippines — For some people, there are habits that are too hard to stomach, and in the case of "Bones and All," it is literally that upfront, yet done so tenderly.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, "Bones and All" is an adaptation of Camille DeAngelis' 2015 novel of the same name about two young cannibals who travel on the road during '80s America.

Starring as the pair are Taylor Russell and Timothee Chalamet, whose characters are dealing with personal trauma and insecurities that stem and go beyond their innate cravings for human flesh.

The immediate comparison will be Julia Ducournau's "Raw," though "Bones and All" somewhat bears more resemblance to the 2021 Oscars Best Picture winner "Nomadland" which also followed an individual on the road after some personal tragedies.

For all its gruesome material, and there are many, the film is better defined by the relationships both Russell's Maren and Chalamet's Lee find themselves in apart from each other.

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It is this point of direction by Guadagnino and frequent screenwriter David Kajganich that elevates "Bones and All" beyond some gory unboxing and rather a mix of genres that blend seamlessly well.

Chalamet feels at home once more under Guadagnino's wing in this type of character, but it is Russell who shines even more as her Maren tries to navigate the predicaments life has thrusted onto her, least of which are cannibalism but more of abandonment.

Another welcome presence in the film is that of Mark Rylance, whose eccentric Sully comes off creepy yet sorrowful that it's no wonder Guadagnino decided to tap his talent, as the director did to briefly show Michael Stuhlbarg and David Gordon Green.

"Bones and All" chooses the images to show its audiences, making it more than a movie with cannibalism. Arseni Khachaturan's cinematography does this through the vast wonders of the countryside, wide shots of mild voyeurism, and static personal shots to complement the well-mannered score of award-winning duo Trent Raznor and Atticus Ross.

Somehow, Guadagnino has found a way to advance the complicated relationships he touched in "Call Me By Your Name" to the horrors he tread in his remake of "Suspiria," and through "Bones and All," allows people to embrace their inner creatures when they find it tamed in the presence of significant others.

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