Parents' Guide to Fingernails

Movie R 2023 113 minutes
Fingernails movie poster: A faceless body wearing a short brown dress and a plaster on their finger lies down with someone's arms around them.

Common Sense Media Review

Stefan Pape By Stefan Pape , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Sci-fi-drama about love has language, sex, body horror.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Fingernails Trailer
  • Fingernails: Jessie Buckley and Jeremy Allen White sit opposite each other at a restaurant.
  • Fingernails: A bearded Luke Wilson sits in a chair with books and folders behind him.
  • Fingernails: Jessie Buckley laughs with Riz Ahmed sitting beside her on a bus.

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What's the Story?

FINGERNAILS tells the story of Anna (Jessie Buckley) who is seemingly in a happy relationship with Ryan (Jeremy Allen White). A sentiment enforced by the fact they both tested positive at the Love Institute, which believes love to be of scientific fact -- all they need to determine the result, is your fingernail. Entranced by the new technology, Anna gets a job at the institute, where she meets her colleague Amir (Riz Ahmed), which makes her question whether love is an exact science, after all.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

This is a fine example of a filmmaker taking a hypothetical scenario that is semi-believable, and creating a truly unique and compelling sci-fi movie out of it. Directed and co-written by Christos Nikou, Fingernails plays with an intriguing original idea but never loses the attention of the audience. The world building is strong, too. It feels like a very relatable landscape and yet there's just something mildly different about it. It's off-realism, yet grounded by its very human and emotional themes. The performances are strong, which is no surprise given the cast includes Buckley, Ahmed, and White (fresh off the back of The Bear). To fully understand the conflict at the heart of the film, the two separate love interests need to feel real, and due to the talents of the actors, every dynamic is believable and the chemistry is unmistakable. This is a striking turn for Nikou who has proven himself to be a filmmaker with a clever mind -- and the execution to match. One to keep an eye on, for sure.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Fingernails portrayed sex and relationships. Was it affectionate? Respectful? What do you think the film was trying to say about love?

  • Discuss the language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary, or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?

  • The film does have some gory moments. Did you find any of them scary?

  • Talk about Anna's character. Did you like/understand her? Do you think it's important that leading characters are often flawed? Why, or why not?

Movie Details

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Fingernails movie poster: A faceless body wearing a short brown dress and a plaster on their finger lies down with someone's arms around them.

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