What’s most memorable about I Lost My Body is the harrowing adventures of a disembodied hand as it navigates its way through one dangerous encounter after another – but of course, there’s more to it than that. The biology and physics-defying journey of said hand is only part of the tale, and as we come to realize, it’s a mysterious D.O.A.-styled one at that.
The story behind the hand and how it got to be in its current state belongs to Naoufel (voiced by Hakim Faris) and his sad, guilt-ridden upbringing and his lonely present-day life. I Lost My Body is a unique film in many ways, but its main character frustratingly clings to too many outdated romantic methods to get behind his plight at full capacity. The backstory that eventually unfolds is a tragic one, but Naoufel’s dishonesty has a souring effect. When the truth inevitably comes out, I found difficulty sympathizing with him and his unfortunate fate.
However, I Lost My Body still has plenty of merits. To start, the animation style is a refreshing change of pace from the usual Disney/Pixar fare. For someone who grew up on hand-drawn cartoons, I can’t tell you how much of a relief it is to see a feature film buck the system and get deserved recognition at the same time. The films of Ralph Bakshi certainly come to mind (in style, not substance), with nods to Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir (2008) and René Laloux’s Fantastic Planet (1973) thrown in for good measure. Not to mention, if you changed the severed hand to a mouse or other small furry creature, whole chunks of I Lost Body – for better or worse – could have easily been a Disney or Don Bluth film 30 or 40 years ago.
Naoufel’s actions may be a tad on the unscrupulous side, but his heart is in the right place. He also suffers some damned extreme consequences for his choices, so let’s not judge him too harshly. His past blankets the film with a pall of sadness that fits the animation style and color choices nicely, and contrasts the action sequences in such a way that each story feels like its own until they finally converge.
James is a writer, skateboarder, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.