Streaming Releases: On Body And Soul (2017) - Reviewed




A majestic stag and a beautiful deer lock eyes from across an enchanting winter forest. A herd of cattle make their way into a fluorescent hell to meet their gruesome demise. Somewhere within these two vividly opposing scenes lies a charming love story in On Body and Soul

Géza Morcsányi plays Endre who is the CFO of a meat distribution company. Alexandra Borbély plays Mária, the new health inspector. Mária is shy and awkward while Endre is a bit more sociable amongst his colleagues. Aside from working at the same company, the two have seemingly nothing in common. Per an investigation at the slaughterhouse, Mária and Endre both must report to a psychiatrist and share with her the dreams they have only to find out that they are having the exact same one. Through being two deers at night that fall in love, that aspire to build an connection in the waking hours. 

Nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 90th Academy Awards, On Body and Soul is a slow build to a satisfying conclusion. Some might struggle to get passed one notable scene in the beginning as we see the final moments of a cow’s life depicted in gruesome detail. But just like every shot in On Body and Soul, it plays as a counterpart to the overall love story. Director Ildiko Enyedi’s attention to detail in each scene is exquisite as the story and it’s characters stay with you long after the film is over. On Body and Soul feels unique in the way that it feels relatable. Both of the main characters suffer some kind of handicap, whether it be physical or mental, though somehow find love in the dark world they live in through a mystical connection. The story is drawn out but it only feels all the more authentic and brings us closer to our two main characters. By the end of the film, we truly do understand Mária and Endre just as we understand their deer counterparts. 



On Body and Soul is a simple love story that is told through contrast. The lush winter forest that the deer run through is contrasted by the gruesome imagery of cows blood sprayed all over the slaughterhouse walls. Maria’s awkwardness is contrasted by Endre’s willingness to converse. Life contrasts death in On Body and Soul and finds a median through two characters falling in love with one another through a majestic dream world. 

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-Holly Glinski