Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Bones and All Blu-ray Movie Review

Fine young cannibals.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III January 31, 2023

Luca Guadagnino's Bones and All might be best described as a "romantic horror film", with both halves of this deeply disturbing tale of young love rarely fusing despite its drawn-out 130-minute running time. That sounds like a pretty big complaint right up front -- and it can't be ignored, honestly -- but this film boasts such a high level of craftsmanship and committed performances that it's not one which can be casually brushed aside. There is a beating heart under all the gore and shocking turns, not to mention great direction, effective editing, and a terrific original score.

Our story is told fully from the perspective of one Maren Yearly (Taylor Russell), teenage daughter of single dad Frank (André Holland), who never knew her mom and rarely lives in one place long enough to make any real friends. During an impromptu sleepover with a few girls from school, what looks like a bonding session with one of them turns violent after Maren bites the poor girl's finger off at the knuckle. Confused and frightened about whatever urge possessed her to do such a thing, Maren runs back home with blood on her clothes and is met by her father at the front door. Within minutes they're off and running to the next state, and she's got more questions than he has answers.

Time skips ahead, and right after her 18th birthday Frank all but abandons Maren, leaving only some cash, her birth certificate, and a cassette tape explaining a few rather unsavory parts of her fragmented childhood. He's already told Maren about the cannibalistic urges that haunt her, how it's a genetic trait (which explains her mother's absence), and reveals more details about dark secrets including a rather horrific evening in which young Maren killed and partially ate her baby-sitter. Still, his recording -- which plays like part confessional -- reveals a man unable to cope with both his daughter's behavior and the reality of potential consequences. Frank shielded her from everything and fled from his own responsibility as guardian, partially due to her lack of real remorse after each horrific attack.

Maren's journey leads her to Minnesota, perhaps the only potential lead to her mother's whereabouts, and along the way manages to find a few kindred spirits; those who share her cannibalistic urges but have, in some respects, learned to "live with themselves". The first is Sully (Mark Rylance), an older gentleman who quite literally detects her by scent and tries to take Maren under her wing but inadvertently frightens her away. The second is Lee (Timothée Chalamet), a mysterious and wandering young man she takes a liking to, who eventually flees his own hometown and takes her on the road to meet her mother. The family reunion is almost doomed to be an unhappy one, Maren may or may not find out any significant answers, and at least one person from her past returns to hinder the fate of two star-crossed lovers struggling to cope with terribly unusual life circumstances. What a horrible night to have a curse.

Even with such a long-winded (partial) summary, there's a lot to unpack during Bones and All... and I didn't really even touch on most of the icky flesh-eating stuff. The film has a problem with this co-existence too: cannibalism is obviously at the root of the story and factors into the overall plot, yet also serves as a vague metaphor for one or more potential themes: sexuality, coming of age, fear of unknowns, all three, or perhaps something else entirely. Maybe even nothing. But there's a particular stretch during its final leg where it all but abandons this core concept completely, morphing into a sorta-wistful tale of young love on the road before finally ripping Maren and Lee back to reality. This back-and-forth at least ends memorably but ends up being a microcosm for the film's odd tonal shifts: it doesn't feel confident as either a full-on examination of cannibalistic characters (though it poses a few interesting moral quandaries) or as a young-adult romance, falling into that murky middle ground where viewers just kind of have to go along for the ride.

Other aspects of the film impress more deeply, from the acting and cinematography to very effective editing and a great original score that all contribute to no shortage of unforgettable moments. And while the tonal clashes ultimately make Bones and All feel like less than the sum of its otherwise capable parts, it's impossible to ignore and the kind of film you'll likely want to re-examine with fresh eyes after the admittedly bonkers nature of its plot, characters, and graphic violence has a chance to fully register. Warner Bros.' Blu-ray (no 4K option this time, sadly) offers decent but not overwhelming support, including a solid A/V presentation and a few short, surface-level bonus features.

Bones and All Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Cinematographer Arseni Khachaturan shot Bones and All on Kodak's VISION3 35mm 500T 5219 film stock -- something of a rarity these days -- and not surprisingly for a modern production, it translates more or less seamlessly to Blu-ray. (Sadly there is no 4K option, which would have certainly been great to see.) The largely muted and natural palette has no shortage of varying locations and moods, from a few warm "magic hour" moments to somber overcast days, pitch-black rural nights, a neon-lit carnival, the dingy fluorescent interior of a mental hospital, and more, all filtered through the lens of a late-1980s aesthetic with supportive production design elements. It's a very genuine-looking film, for lack of a better word, whose visual language seems almost as front-and-center as its characters and story.

Warner Bros.' 1080p transfer of this MGM production is a well-encoded disc with only a few stray compression artifacts, a naturally film-like appearance, and no apparent manipulation in the areas of excessive noise reduction or sharpening. Perhaps the only small speed bump here, other than those mild artifacts, is that even its deepest shadows rarely reach "widescreen black"; it doesn't look to be some sort of gamma issue or any kind of blanketed artificial brightening, but in any case I didn't see Bones and All theatrically so I can't comment on any potential differences there. But for what it is, this is a perfectly good-looking Blu-ray disc that new viewers and established fans should be happy with.

Bones and All Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The lack of a 4K option is somewhat softened by this excellent Dolby Atmos mix, which rightfully brings the theatrical audio experience home even if Bones and All's subject matter doesn't always warrant heavy use of the height channels. But it's still a perfectly immersive mix at all the right moments, with dialogue placed right up front while occasionally spilling into the surrounds (depending on location) while atmospheric touches often bring up the rears. The film's more gruesome moments unsurprisingly dial up the intensity, often via Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' bracingly effective score, with a fully enveloping presence that commands attention. It's the kind of mix that sneaks up on viewers but serves the story, earning it an easy five stars despite not being a bombastic experience from start to finish.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are included during the main feature and extras.

Bones and All Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with poster-themed cover artwork; a Digital Copy redemption code is also tucked inside. The bonus features are disappointingly slim and feel more promotional than in-depth.

• Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes - This series of five short and mostly inconsequential featurettes includes sound bites with key cast and crew members, who speak about the story, characters, and the director.

• A Look Inside (2:23)
• Luca Guadagnino: The Vision of "Bones and All" (1:32)
• Meet Lee (2:06)
• Meet Maren (1:32)
• Outsiders in Love (1:52)

Bones and All Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria) brings traces of his earlier films to Bones and All, both for better ("forbidden" relationships, gruesome twists) and worse (excessive running time), rarely fusing both halves of its cannibalistic young-adult romance in a seamless, convincing manner. But it's still plenty entertaining with outstanding fundamentals including strong cinematography, editing, performances, and its original score, meaning that some of its less impressive elements are still worth the sacrifice based on the strengths of what it does so effectively. Warner Bros.' Blu-ray of this MGM production could've used a 4K option and way better bonus features, but the A/V merits are solid enough to recommend this to thirsty fans. Newcomers should definitely try before they buy.