Timothée Chalamet has emerged over the past several years as one of the most exciting young performers of his time. The breakout actor has proven his desire to stretch himself and broaden his acting range in a number of critically acclaimed films, including Lady Bird, Little Women, The French Dispatch, Beautiful Boy, and Dune, to mention just a few. However, his most lauded work is still his Oscar-nominated performance in Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name; the actor and director have reunited for their newest film, Bones and All, which may be even more bold and uncompromising than their first.
With any luck, the first official footage will hint at something shocking. This first official clip from the film was released by MGM Studios, and it gives us a taste of what it was like for Lee (Chalamet) to take part in a horrific deed for the first time. Not shown in the trailer, but a young lady named Maren (Taylor Russell) lives outside of civilization and meets a cannibalistic vagrant. Guadagnino’s newest is based on the 2015 young adult novel of the same name by Camille DeAngelis, which tells the story of a pair of teenagers who fall in love after realising they share a passion for eating each other’s flesh.
Even if cannibalism isn’t explicitly mentioned, it’s not hard to imagine based on Chalamet’s character Lee’s description of his experience when he gave in to his animalistic tendencies for the first time. Maren, naturally curious, is interested in the young man’s inner thoughts and emotions, especially in the aftermath of the crime. Such explanations will need to be provided later. It’s easy to understand how Chalamet may flourish in what would seem like an undesirable character, given his history of playing angsty, wayward young men who don’t necessarily fit into ordinary society for one reason or another.
This new film, which will have its world debut at the Venice Film Festival, is a perfect example of the actor’s willingness to push creative boundaries and surprise both himself and the audience. There will be a lot of talk about Bones and All, which also stars Chlo Sevigny, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mark Rylance, and André Holland when it premieres next month. As long as it gets people talking, Chalamet and Guadgnino will have succeeded. And we’ll soon get an opportunity to find out what type of reaction they elicit.
The release date for Bones and All is set for Friday, November 23.