Fingernails

"Fingernails" is a dramedy film that starts from a "utopian" premise. In the film's reality, couples have their compatibility measured through a gruesome test in which they each have to pluck a fingernail (hence the title of the film). The possible results are only 3: no affinity, one of them is in love, both are in love. In a world somehow governed by sentimental relationships continuously ready to be judged by the efficient and ineffable system, an impossible love story is born.

To me, one of the best surprises of the year. The film's concept is truly intriguing and never banal. Throughout its duration, you keep questioning the system on which the evaluation leading to the "Love Certificate" is based. As you witness these love trials that potential lovers undergo to improve their chances of a 100% positive test result, you realize how eerie and simultaneously a possible future reality it is. In an ever gamified world continually put to the test by social media, watching the two characters yearn for each other and seek each other's gaze is genuinely heartwarming.

The performances are top-notch, featuring three internationally acclaimed actors, and it shows. A pleasant surprise, a film that makes you reflect on how we experience our relationships but also, in general, on how we navigate our relationship with technology. If you enjoyed "Her," you'll like this one.

**Superb performances from Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed. Jeremy Allen White is underused but still great. The score is exceptional.**

_Would’ve loved a more extensive exploration of how the love test came to be and what happened immediately afterwards, but it’s fine to leave that to one’s own imagination._

There's a lot to like about Christos Nikou's Fingernails. The faux analogue film grain, the weirdly timeless setting that's neither nowhere near contemporary nor fully old school, the odd sprinkle of body horror in this strange, mumblecore romance. Lofi technology and wood panelling with pops of Anderson-esque colour and an undercurrent of quirk and charm. It's all a very unique, somewhat thought provoking and visually captivating piece of cinema about the undefinability of love, and how the story of all romances are one-of-a-kind and unreplicatable. By attempting to build a binary formula around the messy process of falling in love, Fingernails asks us to ponder the idea of knowing the unknowable. Would knowing unintentionally kill the bond between soulmates? Does the anxiety and uncertainty of not knowing destroy a bond before it can even begin? Is the formula infallible and how can we be so sure of its results?

It's a nice little pandoras box to open in the viewers mind, but it all comes with one big achilles heel: You'll have to stomach the movies mollasses-in-slow-motion pacing.
Admittedly this all plays into the picture's unique charm, and replicates the slow movement of connection between humans that can take an exorbitant amount of time to form, but it will be a massive hindrance to many not used to this level of tempo. It really will be down to each viewer with how slow of a burn they're willing to bear to see this intriguing and unique picture through.

And of those that do make it through, I'm sure many will leave their viewing questioning their own relationships and whether the bond they're convinced of is as strong as they think. Would a machine spit out that you're 100% in love with your partner? Would you listen to it? Would it change how you feel?

Every aspect of the movie was enjoyable except for the story. The acting and set design specifically drew me in. But it seems to suffer from a lack of overall direction.

I spent the first half of this movie comparing it to the movie Timer before realizing that the device used in the movie is metaphorical. In a vacuum, I like the use of the device to show how people want to take shortcuts to an end. The problem I have is that the movie is too slow of a burn given the payoff. I wanted to like it more than I did because I love the three leads so much.

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Honestly just decided to watch this film because of Riz Ahmed, who I’d even watch in a 119 minute commercial and still be content. Sadly even he wasn’t at his best, just like Luke Wilson, who I was really happy to unexpectedly see. Interesting idea that, combined with the entire mood and style, almost felt a little bit like a Lanthimus-Anderson crossover. Almost. It lacked a little bit (too much) of everything, weak story that wasn’t really able to carry the idea across just right, weak chemistry, weak setting. Would’ve loved a bit more detail and depth which is why in the end, despite the really slow pace, all felt a bit rushed and unnatural. I missed feeling like being in the story with them rather than just watching two actors act a screenplay they’ve been practicing.

Rated a Connor 5, normal 5.5

Decent little romance that makes you meditate on the agony of love. There's a touch of sci-fi; a revolutionary machine that tells you if you're really in love. It's an interesting and relevant concept (although flawed and underexplained) and it does something decent with that concept but it still comes off as lacking overall. It ultimately needed a better story and direction. It's very slow, long and takes some bad turns along the way. The performances are what really elevates this though, Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed's chemistry is flawless... were they acting?? The characters don't really have distinct personalities but the interactions between them are good, it was enough for me to get a little emotional in the second half.

This kind of felt like a long episode of Black Mirror just not as good. Like Black Mirror it takes something we all know and then takes it to a ‘what if’ extreme. In this case it’s compatibility testing and again like Black Mirror, you could see how this would be a thing in the future and the lengths people would go to find out. The problem with this movie though is the plot is flimsy and seems drawn out to fit the length of the movie. I contemplated switching it off as it seems so slow but I stuck with it. It was OK but not memorable in my opinion.

Slow movie and the science behind fingernails is seemingly unbelievable, lacking proper explanation. It would be better if it were condensed, resembling a Black Mirror episode.