Saturday night is typically in house movie night if we don’t have any other plans. Once in a blue moon we’ll have either of our kids at home to watch with us, but with just the two of us I usually try to find something out of the ordinary. I’ve been pretty successful with a few, Will and Harper; A Street cat named Bob, Flora and Son,

This past weekend, I chose Fingernails. I thought it was an interesting storyline and the actors were of such high calibre: Jessie Buckley, Jeremy Allan White, Riz Ahmed -serious acting chops, right ?

I must admit, I was also sucked in by the song in the trailer – “Only You” – Yaz/Alison Moyet. (an aside, I am going to see Alison Moyet live next year – yay!)

So there’s this machine (looks like a microwave oven) that can test the fingernails of each of a couple and tell if you’re a perfect match. If you find out that you are, it pretty much guarantees that you will stay together, you won’t divorce, that you’re meant for each other. You can be tested at the Love Institute, where you can also undergo a program with your partner, led through a series of exercises and training, that will increase your chances of being a match before testing. Anna (Jessie Buckley) and Ryan (Jeremy Allan White) have been together for a while, have a pretty good life as a couple, and have been tested as 100% . They have a “Love Certificate” to attest to that. Despite this, Anna feels a bit restless and goes for a job at the Love Institute, where Amir (Riz Ahmad) is her mentor. And you can see where that goes. There are some funny bits, but it is a rather bizarre movie. And rather torturous when you think about the test in itself, why anyone would do that (I couldn’t watch those scenes even though they weren’t graphic).

The acting was quite good, but I was somewhat underwhelmed by the movie as a whole. There were several Canadian actors and Toronto the city acted as the backdrop, which was fun. But the ending was rather abrupt. Not that I always need things tied up nicely with a bow, but it just sort of ended.

But it got me thinking – if indeed something like this existed, would I bother taking the test?

Well not now, I’ve been with my husband since university days, married 31 years, 2 kids, we’ve grown up together and figured things out. That being said, split ups at our age aren’t unheard of (especially once kids are older). What if we were just together a few years, and hit a slump? Would one not put as much energy into nurturing the relationship if they had a certificate confirming 100% compatibility?

I don’t think I believe in the concept of soul mates, but it is helpful for a relationship when there is a foundation of similar values, compromise and flexibility, and laughter. On a daily basis, laughter is key.