I have always argued that good movies can be about anything — even, in this case, cannibalism.  The act of eating other people is certainly repulsive, yet there is a certain horrifying beauty to this story, which I think treats the physical need for cannibalism as other stories treat vampirism or werewolfism.  Its characters need to feed occasionally, just like a vampire, and the movie explores the moral, ethical and personal ramifications of that barbaric ritual.

Luca Guadagnino’s film is distinctly American (as opposed to his Call Me By Your Name, which was distinctly European), as its main characters travel the country from Virginia to Minnesota and back again, and then further west.  Young woman Maren (Taylor Russell) falls prey to her cannibalistic instincts and is soon living on her own, hoping to find out about her mother, whom she has never seen.  Maren is befriended by Sully (Mark Rylance) and later Lee (Timothée Chalamet), both of whom are also cannibals, because they can tell from a distance that she is one of them.  She learns much from both, encounters yet others, and slowly gets closer to finding her mother.  That encounter seals her fate, allowing her to accept her destiny once and for all.

This movie could be subtitled (or retitled) Love Among the Cannibals since the relationship between Maren and Lee takes center stage and dominates the tale.  Lee teaches her how to survive and, more importantly, how to live with the condition that they share.  The gradual trust and love that is engendered between the two is the meat of this story, providing it with a timeless quality that viewers will enjoy for years to come.  When tragedy does finally arrive it is not surprising, but it is compelling, because we have spent so much time getting to know these characters, their dreams and their desires.

Unusual love stories populate cinema, from the zombie comedy Warm Bodies to, well, take your pick.  Harold and Maude, Pyrates, Beauty and the Beast, Love at First Bite, you name it.  This is simply another one, mixing an unnatural compulsion into the mix.  The scary part, the theme that has stayed with me since I saw the film, is that there may be (are, according to the story) other people out there living with and possibly encouraging this affliction, monsters among us, awaiting the fine culinary delight which may be one of us.  It’s an unnerving thought, brought about by an unnerving but accomplished movie.  ☆ ☆ ☆.  3 December 2022.