"Fingernails" is a dramedy film that starts from a "utopian" premise. In the film's reality, couples have their compatibility measured through a gruesome test in which they each have to pluck a fingernail (hence the title of the film). The possible results are only 3: no affinity, one of them is in love, both are in love. In a world somehow governed by sentimental relationships continuously ready to be judged by the efficient and ineffable system, an impossible love story is born.
To me, one of the best surprises of the year. The film's concept is truly intriguing and never banal. Throughout its duration, you keep questioning the system on which the evaluation leading to the "Love Certificate" is based. As you witness these love trials that potential lovers undergo to improve their chances of a 100% positive test result, you realize how eerie and simultaneously a possible future reality it is. In an ever gamified world continually put to the test by social media, watching the two characters yearn for each other and seek each other's gaze is genuinely heartwarming.
The performances are top-notch, featuring three internationally acclaimed actors, and it shows. A pleasant surprise, a film that makes you reflect on how we experience our relationships but also, in general, on how we navigate our relationship with technology. If you enjoyed "Her," you'll like this one.
