![]() I’m of two minds about this film - I don’t think that Nocturnal Animals is as genius as it wants to be, but it is a gripping piece of cinema. Nocturnal Animals is a story of revenge (a story of revenge within another story of revenge). There are moments that are downright brutal to watch, and moments that are quieter in their devastating intensity. The film itself is certainly both violent and devastating. In an email to Edward, Susan calls the book ‘Nocturnal Animals ’ violent, devastating, and beautifully written. The pretentious art world Susan lives and works in is in stark contrast with the story Edward has written in his novel. There are also a lot of nods to contemporary artists like Damien Hirst and Jef Koons. Some of the shots of women’s bodies, though, should perhaps be a bit less perfect (hopefully you’ll know it when you see it). The mirroring between what Susan is reading in the novel and real life is mesmerizing, and just about every shot in this film is perfect. Tom Ford is most known for his work as a designer, and Nocturnal Animals does not disappoint with stunning imagery. It seems as though Tom Ford wanted some part of this story to be about materialism and greed, and about the paths we choose to fulfill our lives, but that can get a bit lost underneath the story of revenge and Edward/Tony’s pain. ![]() Ultimately, while the vision of the film is excellently formed, it’s at times a bit too stylish and thus heavy-handed with some of the symbolism it presents. Even though the main character of the film is a woman, the film is about what she did, and what is being done to her (both in “real life” and within Edward’s story) - it’s not actually about her, and we don’t really ever get to know Susan very well as a character. Without spoiling too much, essentially the book ‘Nocturnal Animals ’ is Edward’s revenge for what he feels Susan did to him. Performances like Adam’s and Gyllenhaal’s almost obscure the fact that at the core, the story of this film is misogynistic women are treated like objects or plot devices to fuel men’s pain and rage, and too much blame is placed on Susan. ![]() While movies that jump between time frames and story lines can sometimes be confusing, the aesthetics and scenery along with the excellent performances keep the storylines from becoming muddled. ![]() Amy Adams is great as both the past and present version of herself. Not only does Nocturnal Animals tell a story within a story, it also shows us both the past and present of Susan’s life with Edward, and now with Hutton. ![]()
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