Nocturnal Animals: A Dark, Emotional, and Intellectual Dive into Creativity and Experience
A grim, emotionally charged, and intellectually stimulating arthouse drama explores the intricate relationship between an artist’s creative work and their personal experiences.
Susan Morrow (Amy Adams), a Los Angeles art gallery owner, finds professional success but personal unhappiness in her marriage. Her husband, Hutton (Armie Hammer), is unfaithful, and his financial situation is precarious. Unexpectedly, Susan receives a package from her former husband, Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal), a writer. He sends her the manuscript of his new novel, a harrowing tale about a man named Tony Hastings (also played by Jake Gyllenhaal) whose wife and daughter are brutally attacked and murdered by thugs in rural Texas. As Susan immerses herself in the disturbing and captivating narrative, she reflects on her passionate relationship with Edward, rekindling dormant emotions.
The film is based on Austin Wright’s novel “Tony and Susan.” Wright passed away in 2003, never knowing his novel would be adapted for the screen.
A Film for Critics? Or a Film for Everyone?
The label “a film for critics” can often be derogatory, implying a movie is tedious and obscure, requiring specialized knowledge to endure and extract meaning. However, some “films for critics” are both coherent and engaging. These are the films whose central themes resonate most deeply with those who contemplate the nature of art and share their insights with others.
Interestingly, Tom Ford intentionally avoids using his own brand’s clothing in his films, entrusting costume design to his team. He aims to prevent his films from appearing as mere self-promotion.
“Nocturnal Animals” falls into the latter category. Its creator, Tom Ford, renowned as a fashion designer, has increasingly made his mark in cinema. His directorial debut, “A Single Man,” garnered Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, and “Nocturnal Animals” has already won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. Like “A Single Man,” Ford’s new film is an arthouse piece, but one that keeps you on the edge of your seat. While intellectually driven, it contains enough passion and suspense to hold the audience’s attention.
Exploring the Link Between Reality and Fiction
At its core, “Nocturnal Animals” explores the relationship between real-life events and the artistic creations they inspire. This is a favorite subject among film critics – it’s always fascinating to uncover and share the hidden meanings behind films. But is the connection between reality and fiction always as straightforward as it seems? “Nocturnal Animals” delves into this very question.
The film weaves together two parallel narratives: the “fictional” story of Tony’s ordeal, as he seeks justice after a horrific tragedy with the help of a sympathetic police officer (Michael Shannon), and the “real” story of Susan’s present and past life. While the events in these stories are distinct, the parallels are striking. Edward, who never remarried, still harbors feelings for Susan, and his neo-noir novel about Tony, a clear alter ego, reads as both a penitent confession of his perceived lack of masculinity (a contributing factor to their divorce) and a declaration of enduring love.
However, as we learn more about the circumstances of their divorce, Edward’s true motives become increasingly ambiguous. The book allows for multiple interpretations, some diametrically opposed, and the film’s ending suggests that any of these interpretations could be valid. In other words, despite knowing both the real and fictional events, we can only speculate about the author’s true state of mind. For a critic, this is a sobering and unsettling realization.
A Visceral and Intellectual Experience
While the ending of “Nocturnal Animals” is primarily intellectual, the film opens with a powerful emotional punch. The satirical portrayal of the vain and superficial world of successful gallery owners elicits a wry smile, while the nightmarish tragedy on the Texas highway is as terrifying as any horror film. The film doesn’t explicitly depict the assaults and murders, but the prolonged psychological torment inflicted upon Tony and his family by the roadside thugs is more than enough to send chills down your spine. The later scenes, in which the hero gradually regains control, are less intense but still emotionally resonant.
Tom Ford is often praised for his exceptional visual style, and “Nocturnal Animals” showcases this aspect of his talent. However, there appears to be only one shot in the film that could be considered gratuitous “art for art’s sake.” For the most part, Ford’s visual flourishes enhance the narrative rather than overshadowing it. Therefore, it’s the actors who deserve special recognition. Amy Adams (“Arrival”) delivers a nuanced performance as a woman who conveys much through her expressions, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Kick-Ass,” “Godzilla”) is chilling as a vile psychopath, one of the most repulsive characters in recent Hollywood cinema. Gyllenhaal and Shannon also deliver complex and compelling performances, but their skill and conviction are more expected than Taylor-Johnson’s, who is known for portraying very different, heroic roles.