Fingernails, Apple’s most recent original movie, is a depressing waste of talent, both in front
of as well as behind the camera. Three of the most promising young actors in the business
right now, Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, and Jeremy Allen White, are the film’s stars. However,
not even their combined charm can quell the boredom of this emotionally flat science fiction
drama.
STORYLINE AND PLOT:
source: rotten tomatoes.
The movie takes place in a near-future where love has been quantified using a brand-new
scientific technique. A young woman named Anna (Buckley) has been asked to take part in
a study at an unidentified research facility. She is paired with the intelligent but cold-blooded
scientist Amir (Ahmed). They have to go through a series of tests together that are meant to
gauge how much they love each other.
Anna initially has her doubts about the study’s methodology. However, as she gets to know
Amir more, she starts to feel a connection with him. But Amir is more intrigued by the
knowledge than by Anna. He is committed to illustrating that love is measurable and
quantifiable.
The one-on-one connection between Anna and Amir gets more and more strained as the
study goes on. Amir finds Anna’s lack of emotion frustrating, and Anna finds Amir’s
unpredictable behavior annoying. Their mental and emotional health starts to suffer as a
result of their frequent arguments and the study.
Greek director of the movie, Christos Nikou, is renowned for his meditative and atmospheric
works. This also applies to Fingernails. The film has a dreamlike quality and a subdued
color scheme. It is masterfully shot. But Nikou’s slow tempo frequently comes across as
tedious, and the lack of emotional resonance in the movie ultimately proves to be its
downfall.
Though Nikou never fully explores its implications, the film’s vital premises is an intriguing
one. It appears that he is more concerned with setting the mood than delivering an engaging
narrative. The characters in the movie lack depth and frequently have ambiguous
motivations. It is therefore hard to give a damn about what becomes of them.
One of the few good things about the movie is the cast. As Anna, Buckley excels, lending
warmth and vulnerability to a part that could have easily been one-note. Though he has less
material to work with, Ahmed is equally excellent as Amir. White is overused in a secondary
capacity
Fingernails is a dissatisfying movie all around. A cast that deserves better is put together in
a sci-fi drama that has beautiful craftsmanship but emotionally empty. Though Nikou never
fully explores its implications, the film’s central premise is an intriguing one. Consequently,
the movie focuses more on setting a mood than it does on telling a gripping tale.
Here are some of the film’s specific flaws:
- The film’s pace is glacial, and it often feels like nothing is happening.
- The characters are underdeveloped, and their motivations are often unclear.
- The film’s central premise is intriguing, but Nikou never fully explores its implications.
- The film is more interested in creating a mood piece than in telling a compelling story.
Despite its flaws, Fingernails is not a complete disaster. The film is beautifully shot and the
cast is excellent. However, its emotional barrenness and lack of engagement will likely leave
many viewers feeling disappointed.
Ratings from different sources on the movie fingernails:
- The Indian Express- 2 out of 5
- The Guardian- 3 out of 5
- IMDB- 6.7 out of 10
- Roger Ebert .com – 3 out of 5
