Written by: Christos Nikou, Sam Steiner, Stavros Raptis
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White, Luke Wilson, Christian Meer
Rating: [2.5/5]
Measuring the level of love one has for their significant other has no real empirical figure or objective manner to pinpoint. This semblance of a measure exists as a subjective source of determination, but as introduced in Fingernails, what if a process and a machine could provide an objective answer and how would that impact those relationships? A fascinating idea yet one that does not really land the way it should within this film.
Love gets put to the test literally where a machine that takes in the fingernails of two individuals and will read and display a result that will show if one, both or none of the individuals in a couple are in love. Anna (Jessie Buckley), despite being in a loving relationship, begins to work at the company that runs the test. While there, she meets colleague Amir (Riz Ahmed) and as they bond, she begins to question her own feelings.
Having a machine decide whether two individuals truly love each other takes quite the suspension of disbelief in truly believing that a machine could tell what that individual feels. On the one hand, the objectivity could cut through any denial these couples face by trying to avoid reality but on the other hand, it seems a bit silly to believe anyone would adhere to these results. However, we have to play along with the premise at face value and it does raise some intriguing questions, especially when the results conflict with what a person truly believes they feel.
With this fingernail process, we see this play out in couples looking for confirmation either on the positive or negative angle. Anna, for example, did it with her boyfriend, Ryan (Jeremy Allen White), which rendered positive results. Therefore, as we watch her go on this journey with Amir and how she begins to build this bond with him, the results begin to mean less and less. It raises the larger question of what does it matter to these individuals if this spells out results. If anything, judging by what we witness play out later in the film, love and relationships do not necessarily need to come together. We move away from the ideal and into what carnal and cognitive connections can be built, even if the results of this silly test says otherwise. Love gets put on the stand throughout this film but it does not necessarily tackle it in a wholly interesting manner as it gets towards the second half. As Anna begins to question her relationships and what decisions she will make because of it, the film moves at this languid pace to get to a conclusion we can all see coming a mile away. Nothing about it feels nearly as inquisitive as the central premise sets up leaving for much to be desired.
One area that made me wholeheartedly hate watching parts of this came from the actual extraction of the fingernails. Given Anna and Amir work at the company that runs these tests, they assist in preparing couples who seek to participate in it, but also help with the extraction of the fingernails. I would not consider myself a queasy person when it comes to gore in film, but there’s something about getting someone’s fingernails pulled out that makes me completely uneasy, and many will agree. In fact, director Christos Nikou very much knows that and the way he films those scenes makes the audience want to look away. One could think of many ways to shoot these scenes and Nikou chose the way that would turn my stomach, which had its effect but I certainly cannot state I enjoyed it.
Yet another example of a strong premise with some lackluster execution, Fingernails just cannot land the plane. It brings a trio of strong actors in Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, and Jeremy Allen White but I could not find myself caring for them too much as they received weak characterization that did not help a narrative fledgling towards the end. Much of it feels incredibly stale and lacking the necessary juice to tell a story with the level of personal stakes that exists within the lives of these characters. That does not take away from the fascinating idea at the center but one did not get the proper examination.
Films with Josh 
