The concept of soulmates has been around for about as long as the concept of being in love has existed, going back to the very origin of the antiquity. One of these beliefs that has always struck me as profoundly beautiful is that of the Ancient Greeks, who believed that every human was one-half of a two-headed entity that were bound together by celestial forces but were split into two by the jealous gods, who felt that they were too powerful. Thousands of years later, we have a modernized version of this story, coming on behalf of director Christos Nikou, who pays tribute to his Greek ancestors with Fingernails, a wonderful and eccentric twist on the romantic comedy that takes a very similar approach to the idea of love being defined by fate. The film is set shortly, where humanity has developed technology that has allowed us to determine whether two people are meant to be together by testing if they are both in love with one another, the general thesis being that love is a biological process and that it is only possible to be truly in love with one person at a time. These principles are called into question by two young technicians at the facility that specializes in these tests after they both find themselves falling in love with one another, which stirs confusion as they are both presently in relationships with people they thought they loved, but only realize through their interactions that may it is possible to fall even deeper in love with someone else. A very simple premise that is executed with exquisite emotional honesty and a lot of complex philosophical thought that the director condenses into beautiful and poetic explorations of the changing nature of love, Fingernails is a wonderful film that seems to represent a much deeper kind of romantic comedy, one that looks beneath the surface and seeks a deeper understanding of a concept that is simultaneously universal and impossible to pin down into a single definition, but yet feels so concise and meaningful under Nikou’s assured and confident direction.

Nikou is not a filmmaker that has been working for long, but his directorial debut Apples is widely considered one of the most ambitious works from within the movement known as the Greek Weird Wave, which has given us countless fantastic filmmakers who seem to be truly original, making the kinds of films none of us could ever imagine existed before they set out to tell these stories. While it may be decidedly more straightforward in terms of tone and plot structure, Fingernails does find the director bringing many of the same principles of this movement, particularly in how it takes quite an unconventional story and develops it into a fascinating character study. Much of the brilliance of a film like Fingernails lies in its ability to blend elements of different genres that we may not expect to work well together – primarily, the film combines romance, comedy and science fiction in ways that are starkly different from previous attempts. The movement towards a more realistic kind of science fiction, which focuses more on authentic speculation rather than wild leaps of logic, gives it a sense of genuine curiosity and makes it more about the human element rather than simply futuristic concepts that very rarely age all that well. Choosing this approach in exploring a theme as timeless and universal as love is immediately intriguing, and we find that the angle Nikou takes in developing this story is extremely effective and deeply moving, while never being heavy-handed, making sure to find the humour alongside the pathos, which is beautifully captured throughout the story, which in turn moves along with a steady but meaningful pace that suggests there is much more beneath the surface than we initially anticipate. It is a rich and evocative examination of love through the perspective of science, two disparate concepts that Nikou manages to bring together in an authentic and moving story that touches on some of the most visceral aspects of human desire, leading to a film that has a profoundly unique worldview steeped heavily within reality.

Watching young actors flourish into becoming defining performers of their generation is a wonderful experience, when it comes to Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed, their growth has been astonishing. Anyone who saw their earliest work (most likely Beast and Nightcrawler respectively, although both did solid work in previous years that may have piqued the curiosity of some viewers) likely knew that they were developed into incredible actors, and their journeys have been wonderful to observe, and it feels like we are only at the start with both of them. Fingernails pair them together for the first time, which proves to be an excellent decision, as they have incredible chemistry that is extremely important to how the film develops on its main ideas. Their appeal as actors has always come from the fact that their style is quite unorthodox, and they usually take on more peculiar roles, which has allowed them to carve a niche for themselves as truly interesting actors, while still allowing them to showcase their incredible gifts. This film gives them the chance to play romantic leads, something that has not always been present in their arsenal, at least not in terms of being outright romances. They handle the material exceptionally well, and they work together to develop a strong connection between these characters, to the point where we start to genuinely believe that there is a spark of real love between these people, an important quality for any film centred on the concept of love. They’re joined by Jeremy Allen White (who is rapidly ascending to become one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation, a long overdue development for a genuinely great actor), Annie Murphy and Luke Wilson, all of whom fit perfectly into the confines of this film, capturing the tone and register of the story and bringing it to life with their heartfelt and meaningful performances. Everything ultimately leads back to Ahmed and Buckley, both of whom are wonderful and bring such genuine curiosity to this complex film.

Based on the nature of these performances and how they function in terms of developing these characters to be more complex than we’d expect, we discover that Fingernails may be a film that centres on the concept of love, but there is much more to the story than just an exploration of the biological roots of romance. The film draws quite a distinct line between desire and love – the former is shown to be a carnal process, one that is intrinsically biological and based on urges, while the latter is more psychological, which is where a lot of the internal conflict experienced by the two protagonists emerge. The film focuses on their individual experiences as profoundly lonely people who are simply trying to make their way through life in as frank a manner as possible, not realising that their chance encounter will derail what they considered to be their perfectly aligned existence. Instead, it exposes how isolated they feel from the rest of the world. There is a veneer of sadness that occurs throughout the film, which is directly connected to the feeling of alienation we find throughout the film, suggesting that what these characters are striving for is not the feeling of being in love (in terms of the physical aspect), but rather being able to make that connection with someone on a level that is much more profound and compelling. Fingernails is ultimately a film about lonely people trying to find some sense of self-acceptance, which in turn develops into a story about humanity, the importance of forging meaningful connections with other people, and the challenges that arise when we realize that some sparks tend to dull over time, and are replaced with even brighter flames, which can throw our entire life into disarray if we aren’t able to handle such changes. The use of complex emotions that are powerful but never overwrought, and the genuine humanity that underpins nearly every moment makes Fingernails a much more enthralling experience and allows it to grow into such a powerful and poignant statement on the human condition as a whole, something with which Nikou seems to be profoundly fascinated.

Fingernails is a film that does arguably take a short while to be set into motion, and the plot is something of a slow burn, the director making sure that everything is perfectly established long before we reach the apex of the story. However, once those iconic notes of “Only You” by Yazoo are heard, it becomes clear that this is a very special film, and one that represents a step forward in the careers of everyone involved since it feels like a major achievement that we may not appreciate fully right now, but will likely view as one of the most original and inventive explorations of a subject as common as love, which has been investigated and unpacked in just about every conceivable way over the centuries, but yet can still be the foundation for such an inventive and heartfelt work of pure artistry. There’s a simplicity that guides this film and makes it seem like such a profoundly moving film, while never abandoning that feeling of sardonic dark comedy that helps propel it forward, particularly in showing the slightly more absurd side of reality and how ridiculous social systems tend to be, especially when it comes to how seriously they are taken by some people. It is a heartwarming film that is not against having the more difficult conversations, and the nuances that drive the story are incredible and poignant in ways that are difficult to pin down into a coherent analysis but can instead be said to be more effective when they are felt rather than described, a solid way to look at this film as a whole. Centered on a pair of incredible performances, and written with honesty and precision, Fingernails is a wonderful film that captures our attention and keeps us thoroughly engaged in ways that we may not always anticipate, all the while celebrating the incredible nature of romance as something much more than just a biological function, and rather positioning it as an experience that draws on every one of our senses as we gradually start to realize the true nature of what it means to be in love.