Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is a tough one to score because it's genuinely well-made and original, but it's also about people eating other people in graphic detail. Guadagnino crafted something singular here—a horror-romance that functions as allegory while still showing you exactly what's happening, bones and all.

The metaphor works: these young people are consumed by urges that make them feel monstrous, and they're searching for connection despite knowing they're dangerous. It's about self-acceptance and chosen family in the most extreme context imaginable.

But here's the thing—you have to sit through extended scenes of cannibalism to get to that metaphor. Reviews are split between 'heartbreaking masterpiece' and 'revolting waste of time,' and honestly, both takes are valid. This is capital-A Art that asks a lot of its audience.

For the right adult viewer who appreciates challenging cinema and has the stomach for it, this offers a unique experience. For everyone else—including all kids and most adults—this is a hard pass. The WISE score reflects that it's well-crafted but extremely limited in who can or should watch it.

Age Fit

This is strictly for adults 18+ who enjoy challenging, art-house horror. Even mature teens should wait. The graphic cannibalism isn't just implied—it's shown in disturbing detail. This is for cinephiles with strong stomachs who appreciate unconventional storytelling.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

35

A cannibal romance that centers on young people with uncontrollable urges to consume human flesh. While the film treats its protagonists with empathy and explores themes of love and acceptance, the core premise—literal cannibalism with graphic consumption scenes—is fundamentally disturbing. The relationship between the leads is tender, but it's framed within a context of violence and horror that undermines traditional wholesome values.

Imaginative

78

Luca Guadagnino takes a genuinely original premise—cannibalism as metaphor for otherness and forbidden love—and crafts a visually striking road movie through Reagan-era America. The film doesn't follow typical horror or romance conventions, instead creating something singular and strange. Reviews consistently praise its unusual approach, calling it 'extremely unusual' and 'completely unrealistic but with striking' execution. It's a bold creative swing that invites interpretation.

Safe

15

This is emphatically not safe for children or young teens. Graphic depictions of cannibalism including people being eaten 'bones and all,' blood, gore, and disturbing violence throughout. The film also contains sexual content and mature themes around abandonment and trauma. While it's not gratuitously violent for shock value, the content is intense and genuinely disturbing. Likely rated R for strong bloody violence and language.

Enriching

72

For mature viewers, this offers substantial food for thought about identity, acceptance, and what it means to be an outsider. The cannibalism functions as an allegory for any trait that makes you feel monstrous or unlovable. It explores themes of chosen family, self-acceptance, and whether love can transcend fundamental differences. The film invites deep discussion about empathy and the nature of humanity, though its extreme content limits its audience significantly.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely original premise that uses horror as metaphor for otherness and self-acceptance in ways that feel fresh
Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell deliver emotionally grounded performances in an absolutely wild context
Luca Guadagnino's direction creates a visually striking, atmospheric road movie through 1980s America
For viewers who can handle it, offers rich material about identity, love, and what makes us human
Doesn't follow typical genre conventions—it's truly something different

⚠

What to Watch For

Extremely graphic cannibalism scenes with blood, gore, and people being consumed—this is not metaphorical
Disturbing violence and imagery that will be genuinely upsetting for most viewers
Sexual content and mature themes throughout
Polarizing reception—some find it profound, others find it pretentious or revolting
Slow-burn pacing that won't work for everyone even if you can handle the content

Conversation Starters

"If you could watch it: How does the film use cannibalism as a metaphor? What do you think it represents?"
"The characters struggle with urges they can't control. How does that compare to other stories about addiction or compulsion?"
"What does the film say about whether love can overcome fundamental differences between people?"
"How does the 1980s American road trip setting affect the story's themes of being an outsider?"

Deep Dive

The Chalamet bait-and-switch

If you have a teen in the house, there is a 100% chance they know this movie exists because of Timothée Chalamet. By now, we’ve seen him as a space messiah and a chocolate maker, but Bones and All remains the most extreme outlier in his filmography. It’s the ultimate "Internet Boyfriend" test. If your teen is currently caught up in the Chalamet effect, they might see the 1980s aesthetic, the messy hair, and the romantic road-trip vibes and think they’re getting a moody indie drama.

They aren't. They are getting a movie where the romantic leads literally eat people. While we’ve put together a list of Timothée Chalamet movies safe for preteens, this film sits on the complete opposite end of that spectrum. It’s a gorgeous, well-acted trap for the unprepared.

Not your average monster movie

Most horror movies about people-eaters treat the act as a jump-scare or a mindless feeding frenzy. Bones and All treats it like a burden. The "eaters" in this world aren't zombies; they are people with a physiological need that isolates them from society. This makes the movie feel more like a story about addiction or a heavy-handed allegory for being an outsider.

The friction comes from how the film balances that high-brow metaphor with very low-brow viscera. One minute you’re watching a beautiful sunset over the Midwest, and the next, you’re listening to the wet, crunching sounds of a character being consumed. It doesn't cut away. If your kid is into the psychological tension of something like The Naturals book series, they might appreciate the "outsider" themes, but the level of gore here is on a different level than even the darkest serial killer thrillers. It’s not just about the kill; it’s about the meal.

The "Eater" lore and the ick factor

The movie introduces a specific set of rules for its world—like the idea that some eaters can "smell" each other from miles away. This adds a layer of tension that keeps it from being a boring road trip. Mark Rylance shows up as a creepy mentor figure who takes the "otherness" of the protagonists and makes it feel predatory and pathetic rather than romantic.

For a certain type of mature viewer, the ending is a "cry your eyes out" masterpiece. For others, it’s the moment they’ll finally turn the TV off in disgust. If you’re trying to decide if a 16 or 17-year-old can handle it, ignore the "Romance" tag. Focus entirely on their tolerance for textures. This isn't CGI blood splashing on a wall; it’s the sound of teeth on bone. If that's a dealbreaker, the beautiful cinematography won't save it for you. Check out our full parent's guide to Bones and All if you need a more granular breakdown of exactly how messy things get before you commit to a family movie night that might end in collective trauma.

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