Fingernails

In selected cinemas and available on Apple TV+

The sophomore feature of Greek writer-director Christos Nikou (Apples) is centred on an unusual premise whereby couples can determine their compatibility by undergoing a test which culminates in both partners having a fingernail removed. Sadly, irrespective of how intriguing that setup might be, Fingernails never manages to move out of second gear.

It’s fair to assume that Nikou’s intention is to craft a picture that fuses romance with science fiction in a vein not dissimilar to cult classics such as Ex Machina, Her, or The Lobster, and the requisite ingredients are certainly in place for him to achieve this. After all, Fingernails is helmed by three indie darlings (Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, and Jeremy Allen White), all of which deliver committed performances that belie the limitations of the story they are trying to tell.

Nonetheless, the best efforts of the film’s leads is not enough to overcome the lack of chemistry that its screenplay provides them with. Buckley’s character is a particularly puzzling conundrum, in the sense that the film is centred on her quest to understand what constitutes true love, and yet her self-centred actions make her a protagonist that is incredibly difficult to root for.

Above all else, the big issue with Fingernails is that its motivations never become truly apparent, with Nikou alluding to an array of concepts - such as the ubiquity of online dating or the threat of routine and importance of continuously working on a relationship - but never honing in on any of them. What we subsequently get is an oddly unaffecting picture that fails to make the most of the talent at its disposal.