★★★★★
5 April 2017
A movie review of ON BODY AND SOUL. |
“Actually, it’s kind of funny, no?” Endre (Géza Morcsány)
Love in an abattoir. Sounds terrible. But ON BODY AND SOUL is deeply romantic. There is an unpredicted informality, easy-goingness to the environment. Travelling against the atmospheric grain is rare, and here rewarding. The two leads are mesmerising to watch, exuding chemistry. Her elemental aura is not limited to the surface. She floats ethereally like a LORD OF THE RINGS elf. He exudes self-assured confidence; think Daniel Day-Lewis in THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS – totally at ease with himself.
Love in an abattoir. Sounds terrible. But ON BODY AND SOUL is deeply romantic. There is an unpredicted informality, easy-goingness to the environment. Travelling against the atmospheric grain is rare, and here rewarding. The two leads are mesmerising to watch, exuding chemistry. Her elemental aura is not limited to the surface. She floats ethereally like a LORD OF THE RINGS elf. He exudes self-assured confidence; think Daniel Day-Lewis in THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS – totally at ease with himself.
He has one arm crippled – not elaborated on how – good, what does it matter? Their circling reminds of METERORA – where a priest and a nun fall in love – two almost celestial creatures finding themselves in the same sphere and connecting. Endre (Géza Morcsány) and Maria (Alexandra Borbély) lead a frugal, minimalistic, lonely existence – Maria even more so, her life is solitary. (Their diet is grim too. She eats fish fingers and rice, he baloney.)
Somehow the film gets away with the typical movie male-female disparity in terms of looks and age. You’ve seen Amy Schumer’s “last f*ckable day sketch” right? I actually thought the director was male, an older male fantasy movie, but it turns out at the helm is a lady. And speaking to a woman about the film after, she found Endre attractive. A film bulldozing one’s assumptions is a treat.
Maria completely speaks her mind. One wonders if she is on the autism spectrum? The words autism and Asperger’s are not spoken, but it is almost left without doubt. She is serious. She remembers everything. He is a talented leader, but personally withdrawn. It makes you wonder why these two have gravitated to the meat industry. Is the proximity of death what makes them contemplate life? Endre tries to engage with Maria, and at first makes little headway. ON BODY AND SOUL is an unusual take on men and women not understanding one another.
Opening on a striking snowy wood, a stag and doe are gently affectionate. Is it CGI? Looks real. Are the filmmakers anthropomorphising? Cuts to a juxtaposition of the slaughterhouse, though pulls its punches with the actual moment of bovine death – shouldn’t we see exactly how our society’s meat reaches us?
A new quality inspector has arrived, Maria. She determines grade and therefore affects price. She is a stickler for regulation. Even though the beef contains 2-3mm of extra fat, it is downgraded to a “B”. Boss of the outfit is Endre. He is immediately drawn to her. Observes without seeming creepy. Out of fascination. The surreal aspect of the film is how they connect. They both dream the same dreams. Endre is the stag, and Maria the doe, from the opening. The deer stuff is beautiful.
Contrast new guy starting, Sándor (Ervin Nagy), a bit of a lad, insensitive, the opposite of Endre. This guy seems to be there to add tension, a darker element, as a potential spanner in the relationship works. Their resolution is unexpected and uplifting. One wonders why Endre is alone.
The whole film exudes an engaging sexual charge. A subplot has a powerful mating powder stolen from the abattoir. The police are called in. We meet a detective (Pál Mácsai), who takes a back-hander in steak - a deft, brief commentary on society. Endre does some moonlighting in breeding – not exactly illegal, but not 100 per cent kosher too. The film really wants the audience to understand that people aren’t perfect.
ON BODY AND SOUL is immersive in craft and acting. Expertly calibrated. The atmosphere created feels so fresh and alive. A sublime, other-worldy romantic drama, with wry humour.
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