Fingernails explores an intriguing concept of the nature of relationships, including true love, but it begins to falter in its script’s ambivalence. For a movie centered around relationship experts, the film seems to possess little knowledge about them. The setting appears quite corny, as it employs individuals off the street as relationship experts, devoid of any training, expertise, or licensing. Director Christos Nikou’s film seems to serve as an exercise in closure for people afraid to take the leap and move on. Unfortunately, the idea is stretched beyond its limits for a nearly 2-hour film.
Fingernails stars Academy Award-nominated actors Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose) as Anna and Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) as Amir. Both portray new therapists at a love testing institute run by Duncan (Luke Wilson), a man who still appears to be grappling with a past failed relationship (bags under his eyes, unkempt beard, and rumpled clothes). He has developed a new technology that enables couples to strengthen their bonds, akin to marriage therapists. The second step is a bit more eye-opening.
This involves the removal of a fingernail from each person. (Love hurts, after all.) What does this achieve? Well, scientifically, they undergo testing by placing the nails in something that looks like a microwave oven to determine if they are a 100% match. Duncan has devised a testing system that piggybacks off the warning signs of certain conditions, such as heart disease, referred to as “Nail Clubbing” because our fingernails have direct connections to our hearts. (Yes, the metaphor may induce a dry gag reflex immediately.)
Nikou has a couple of accomplices in Sam Steiner and Stavros Raptis, who also wrote the script. They use a subplot of Anna’s relationship with Ryan (The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White) as a way to explore denial versus blind faith. The couple and their friends are constantly talking about taking the test. Some do, others are anxious, some refuse, and a few do the test multiple times. Anna is obsessed with the idea of confirming the meaning of her relationship.
Which begs the point: If you have these recurring doubts, this points to chinks in the relationship armor in the first place. Buckley’s Anna has already confirmed their match but needs more. At this point, her concerns and doubts should be alleviated. However, that’s not the case with Anna. The story lacks any drama and suspense because it’s obvious Anna wants to get out of her current circumstances.
Fingernails pretend that it has so much to say about our human nature, taking the obsession of “coupling up” and how this does not guarantee romantic happiness, compatibility, or longevity. However, Nikou’s film offers very little when it comes to enlightening us on relationships or even fate. Even worse, as the relationship between Anna and Amir progresses, you realize how little chemistry the two have.
This makes the Apple TV+ film a toss-up recommendation, depending on your mindset. By the third act, Anna takes it upon herself to evaluate her connection with Amir. However, the film should explore why Anna is using Amir and the testing to get out of her current predicament. (Remember, Anna had doubts long before she started her work at the institute.) Nikou and company never go beyond surface-level emotions to explore this subject. This is paramount since this film is a character study at its very core.
Instead, the theme Fingernails attempts to explore is the need to trust our mindfulness and feelings because that’s something technology cannot possibly assess. While you can admire the attempt to incorporate (and differentiate) primal emotions like love and the use of technology, the script is nothing more than smoke and mirrors when it comes down to one thing—trusting your gut.
Fingernails is currently playing in select theaters and is available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+.
Fingernails squanders an interesting concept on the use of technology versus blind faith by never exploring characters behaviors beyond surface levels insight.
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GVN Rating 4
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I am a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. However, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, and that’s when I often stumble over. When I’m not writing about movies, I patiently wait for the next Pearl Jam album and pass the time by scratching my wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. I was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs, but I chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find my work on InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Hidden Remote, Music City Drive-In, Nerd Alert, and Film Focus Online.