Fingernails Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

To truly know if you’re in love, you must painfully yank out a fingernail, sacrifice it to a mysterious machine, and hope it doesn’t tell you you’re only 50% in love, because that would be awkward.

🍿 Fingernails: Detailed Plot Synopsis

The Love Institute and Certified Relationships

In a world where true love can be scientifically proven, Anna and Ryan appear to have the perfect relationship, validated by a controversial new technology. They hold a certificate confirming their deep connection, a testament to the institute’s method of ensuring long-term compatibility. This technology, seemingly designed to take the guesswork out of romance, is embraced by many desperate couples seeking certainty in their emotional lives. Despite her certified love with Ryan, Anna harbors a nagging suspicion that their relationship isn’t as genuine as the test suggests. Her doubts grow as their daily life feels more like a routine than a passionate partnership. This internal conflict pushes her to seek answers, leading her down an unexpected path.

Anna’s Undercover Assignment

Driven by her uncertainty, Anna secretly takes a job at The Love Institute, the very place that validated her relationship with Ryan. She tells Ryan she’s found a new teaching position, concealing her true intentions. At the Institute, she works as a trainer, helping other couples through a series of exercises and the infamous ‘fingernail test’ designed to ignite or confirm their love. Her new role brings her into close contact with Amir, another instructor, who is tasked with training her. As they work together, a subtle yet undeniable chemistry begins to develop between them. Their interactions, initially professional, slowly evolve into something more personal, challenging Anna’s preconceived notions about love and her own certified relationship.

Exploring Connection and Doubt

Anna and Amir guide various couples through unconventional compatibility exercises, from sensory deprivation challenges to intimate communication drills. These tasks are designed to push couples beyond superficiality, fostering deeper emotional and physical connections. Through these experiences, Anna observes the nuances of other relationships, further scrutinizing her own. As Anna and Amir spend more time together, their bond deepens through shared moments and unspoken understandings. Anna finds herself increasingly drawn to Amir, experiencing a different kind of connection than what she shares with Ryan. This growing attraction forces her to confront the true nature of love and whether it can truly be quantified by a machine.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Anna (Jessie Buckley): The protagonist who questions her certified true love with Ryan and takes a job at a love testing institute, where she develops a connection with Amir.
• Amir (Riz Ahmed): An insightful instructor at The Love Institute who forms a deep and challenging emotional bond with Anna.
• Ryan (Jeremy Allen White): Anna’s long-term partner whose love has been scientifically certified, but their relationship lacks genuine emotional connection.
• Duncan (Luke Wilson): The founder of The Love Institute, dedicated to scientifically validating romantic relationships through controversial testing methods.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Duncan: “I founded this institute in order to take the risk out of love.” – Said by the founder of The Love Institute, explaining his grand vision for eliminating uncertainty in romantic relationships.
• Anna: “What if the numbers are wrong? What if we feel something else?” – Voicing her growing doubts and internal conflict to Amir about the definitive nature of the love test, despite her own ‘100%’ result with Ryan.
• Amir: “You don’t need a machine to tell you what’s real. You just feel it.” – Sharing his more intuitive and personal philosophy on love with Anna, contrasting with the Institute’s scientific approach.
• Ryan: “We’re 100%. We’re certified. That’s what matters.” – Reassuring Anna about their relationship, highlighting his reliance on the test’s scientific validation as the ultimate truth of their love.

💰Box Office

• Budget: Undisclosed
• Domestic Gross: Undisclosed (Limited theatrical release)
• Worldwide Gross: $13,783

💥 Fingernails Reviews

Personal Review

Wow, ‘Fingernails’ really got under my skin, in the best way! I went in expecting a quirky sci-fi, but it turned into such a tender and melancholic exploration of what it means to truly connect with someone. Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed’s chemistry was absolutely undeniable; you could feel every unspoken glance and shared moment between Anna and Amir. The scene where Anna sings, and Amir is just completely mesmerized, sent shivers down my spine – it perfectly captured that ‘falling in love’ feeling that’s so hard to articulate. Even with its slow pace, the movie kept me hooked, making me question what I truly value in relationships. It’s a quiet gem that stays with you.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of indie sci-fi dramas with a focus on relationships”
  • “Viewers who appreciate slow-burn narratives and character studies”
  • “Audiences who enjoy films that provoke thought and discussion about abstract concepts like love and certainty”
  • “Those who liked ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ or early ‘Black Mirror’ episodes for their blend of speculative fiction and emotional depth”
  • “Admirers of Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed’s performances”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Scenes depicting the painful removal of fingernails (graphic for some viewers)”
  • “Themes of infidelity and emotional betrayal”
  • “Slow pacing which may not appeal to all viewers”
  • “Exploration of existential doubt and relationship insecurities”

Professional Reviews

• Critic Review: “Christos Nikou’s ‘Fingernails’ is a thought-provoking meditation on love, belief, and the allure of technology. Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed deliver exceptional performances, bringing a captivating intimacy to their roles as they navigate a world where science attempts to quantify the unquantifiable. The film’s quirky, almost absurdist tone allows for both humor and deep emotional resonance, creating an experience that lingers long after the credits.
• Critic Review: “While ‘Fingernails’ grapples with a peculiar premise—literally tearing out fingernails to test love—its true strength lies in its nuanced exploration of human connection. Jessie Buckley is a standout, conveying Anna’s internal turmoil with remarkable sincerity. The film offers a unique lens on the complexities of modern relationships, inviting viewers to question how much we rely on external validation versus our own instincts about matters of the heart.

Audience Reactions

The intense chemistry between Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed captivated many viewers.: Most audiences were deeply moved by the film’s unique take on love, praising the lead actors’ subtle yet powerful performances and the thought-provoking nature of its central premise, despite its slow pace.

Viewers appreciated the film’s philosophical musings on trusting intuition over scientific validation in love.: The film successfully sparked conversations about the authenticity of feelings versus external validation, resonating with those who found it a beautiful, albeit sometimes painful, depiction of emotional vulnerability.

Overall Consensus: A polarizing but ultimately compelling and thought-provoking drama, ‘Fingernails’ is lauded for its strong lead performances and unique concept, prompting deep reflection on the nature of love and relationships.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The ongoing issue with Amir’s car window, which repeatedly drops, is a known mechanical fault common to the fourth-generation Volkswagen Golf that he drives in the film, suggesting a deliberate detail by the filmmakers.”
• “The film’s opening credits feature a fictional quote from an ‘unknown scientist’ that posits a link between the condition of fingernails and early signs of heart problems, setting a pseudo-scientific tone.”
• “Jessie Buckley, a native of Ireland, performs her role as Anna with a convincing American accent. She also showcases her singing talent in the film.”
• “Principal photography for ‘Fingernails’ took place in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada.”

🖥️ How to Watch Fingernails?

The unique drama ‘Fingernails’ premiered on November 3, 2023, and is available exclusively for streaming on Apple TV+. Subscribers can watch it as part of their subscription. For those without a subscription, Apple TV+ offers a free trial, after which a monthly subscription fee applies. The movie is not widely available for digital purchase or rental on platforms like Prime Video, Google Play, or Vudu, making Apple TV+ the primary way to experience this thought-provoking film.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Fingernails, you might like these similar films:

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): Explores complex relationships, memory, and the impact of technology on love, featuring a similarly melancholic tone and unique premise about human connection.
• Timer (2009): Features a very similar core concept where a device tells people when they will meet their soulmate, delving into themes of destiny, choice, and true love’s elusive nature.
• The Lobster (2015): A dark, absurdist satire on societal pressures to find a partner, exploring unconventional ideas of love and conformity, mirroring the unique social experiment in ‘Fingernails’.
• Her (2013): Focuses on unconventional romantic relationships and the search for genuine connection in a technologically advanced, sometimes isolating world, much like ‘Fingernails’ questions modern love.
• Black Mirror: Hang the DJ (2017): This TV episode perfectly encapsulates the theme of an algorithm attempting to dictate romantic relationships and compatibility, presenting a dystopian view of love ‘testing’.
• Palm Springs (2020): A quirky romantic comedy with a sci-fi twist, exploring relationships and the nature of commitment when faced with an inescapable, repeating reality, echoing themes of routine and finding true connection.

🛒 Fingernails Related Products

• Fingernails (Digital 4K UHD): Own the critically acclaimed drama ‘Fingernails’ in stunning 4K UHD, allowing you to re-experience Anna’s poignant journey and the captivating chemistry between the leads from the comfort of your home.
• Love Is A Test. Results May Vary. T-Shirt: Wear your love for ‘Fingernails’ with this stylish, comfortable t-shirt featuring the movie’s memorable tagline. A subtle nod to the film’s central theme, perfect for movie buffs.
• The Science of Love: A Psychological Exploration: Delve deeper into the real-world psychology and biology behind human connection with this insightful non-fiction book. Explore topics like attraction, attachment, and compatibility, echoing the themes from ‘Fingernails’.
• Fingernails Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Vinyl LP): Immerse yourself in the melancholic and beautiful sonic landscape of ‘Fingernails’ with the official soundtrack on vinyl. Features the atmospheric score and carefully chosen songs that perfectly encapsulate the film’s mood.

🎧 Soundtrack

Fingernails features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Total Eclipse of the Heart” – performed by Studio Musicians (Written by Jim Steinman)
• “Fingernails (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” – performed by Various Artists

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

BROKEN FINGERNAIL!

Ever wondered what happens when a fingernail takes a hit, and thought about how vital they are? This incredibly viral clip reminds us just how delicate our digits can be, making you wince and smile, and perhaps ponder the value of something so small – much like the movie makes us think about love!

Fingernails Never Stop Growing 💅(gross)

Did you know your fingernails are constantly on the move, even if you don’t notice? Dive into this fascinating short that might just make you look at your own hands a little differently, adding a layer of biological intrigue to the very physical theme of the movie.

Throwback to my blue hair days💙 #funny #nailart #nails #naildesign # #comedy #memes

From functional to fashionable, our fingernails can be a canvas! This fun, trending clip shows a creative side to nails, offering a humorous break and a different perspective on the very part of the body central to ‘Fingernails.’ I found myself chuckling at the unexpected twist!

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