‘On Body And Soul’
Director: Ildikó Enyedi
Actors: Géza Morcsányi, Alexandra Borbély
Rating: N/R
3.5 (Out Of 5) Globes
Plot: Endre (Géza Morcsányi) and Maria (Alexandra Borbély) work together in a slaughterhouse, but aren’t close, especially after their first meeting goes wrong. Unbeknownst to each other, though, the pair have the same dream every night, where they meet in the forest as deer. The duo ultimately realize this after a psychologist interrogates everyone in the building. Suddenly, they become intrigued by one another, and they look to explore their relationship.
Review: For most of its opening act “On Body And Soul” feels lost. While it establishes the isolation of its leading pair Endre (Géza Morcsányi) and Maria (Alexandra Borbély), there’s no real aim in sight, and the bloody images in the slaughterhouse and coldness of their colleagues is more humdrum than intriguing.
But when it is finally revealed that Endre and Maria have been sharing the same dream, and the duo start to try and connect, suddenly “On Body And Soul” finds a rhythm and becomes more concise and precise with its ambitions and themes. What follows is a bizarre love story that becomes increasingly arresting, romantic, and even comical and suspenseful as Endre and Maria try to find out what has brought them together.
Ultimately, On Body And Soul is too aloof and tentative with its message to really resonate, but it is still nevertheless an increasingly compelling and idiosyncratic love story that gets better with each passing minute.
