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.

Cool idea but terrible execution. The first minutes are okay but then it doesn't make sense.

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.

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.