Fingernails Review: Love Beyond the Test

Release date: 

November 3, 2023

Cast: 

Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White, Luke Wilson, Christian Meer, Amanda Arcuri, Annie Murphy, Katy Breier, Clare McConnell, Nina Kiri, Jim Watson, Varun Saranga, Albert Chung, Heather Dicke, Tameka Griffiths, Juno Rinaldi, Sienna Singh, Tanchay Redvers

Genre: 

Sci-Fic, Romance, Drama, Thriller, Psychological drama

Producer: 

Coco Francini, Andrew Upton, Cate Blanchett, Christos Nikou, Lucas Wiesendanger

Director: 

Christos Nikou

Ratings: 

IMDb 5.9/10, Rotten Tomatoes 61%, Metacritic 63%

Overview of “Fingernails”

"Fingernails" explores a quirky concept – a world where a machine decides if love is real. The film asks if a device can understand complex human feelings. The story might seem simple, but it takes a while for the characters to see the problems, making it a bit of a strange idea.

Christos Nikou, influenced by Yorgos Lanthimos, shows relationship issues in a normal way compared to the weirdness in "The Lobster." The story is about a Love Institute where people do a strange test involving ripping off a fingernail to prove their love. The film wants to say that love needs work, but the characters don't always show this idea.

Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed, talented actors, make the film feel more familiar. Even with their careful acting, their connection makes the material more interesting. The cinematography captures a cosy yet slightly futuristic world in Toronto.

The film quietly talks about society's pressures on couples, showing a world where relationships have strict rules. The perpetual autumn setting adds a romantic touch. The main idea is a test result replacing a marriage certificate, challenging the usual symbols for relationships.

"Fingernails" looks at the silliness of systems fixing relationships, like dating apps or love tests. The film asks if these are better than human desire. As Buckley and Ahmed's characters get closer, the story becomes emotionally smart.

In a world where society pushes tests for couples, the film says real love can't be understood by a machine. Removing a fingernail is a shocking moment in contrast to the film's emotional parts. "Fingernails," says real human connections are more important than a machine's idea of romance.

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