Friday, November 18, 2016

Nocturnal Animals

Unrequited love can be the worst thing to happen to someone. People lose themselves when they lose someone. They form unhealthy patterns, sabotage relationships, isolate themselves. It hurts so much to lose someone because we put so much of ourselves into the people we love. That’s the jump, that’s the trust. And when it’s gone, that part of us is lost as well.

But good can come from pain. Some of the best art ever created was the byproduct of fractured love. Pain can also bring perspective. It can make you appreciate what you have, when you have it. This is what Tom Ford’s new film, Nocturnal Animals, is about. It’s about seeking redemption for your pain in a healthy and constructive way, while also violently explaining what that pain did to you.

Nocturnal Animals contains one of the finest metaphorical expressions of unrequited love I’ve ever seen in film. Ford has created an at-times terrifying, at-times hilarious, consistently singular work of art. It is the finest film I’ve seen so far in 2016, by a very wide margin. It’s a challenging movie, one that demands repeat viewings due to its complicated structure. Every scene makes you rethink what has already happened, while daring you to guess what will follow.

Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) is a hollow shell. She’s vapid, morose, old-money wealthy. She spends her days managing the art gallery she owns, and her evenings promoting it. But at night, when she’s unable to sleep in her sterile home in the Hollywood Hills, her mind drifts. She tries to connect with her jaded husband (Armie Hammer), smiling while she suggests romantic weekend getaways, but her attempts are futile.
Shortly into the film, Susan finds a companion to fill her sleepless nights in the form of a book manuscript. The book, entitled “Nocturnal Animals,” was written by Susan’s ex-husband, Edward, whom she hasn’t spoken to in some time. The manuscript is accompanied by a note from Edward, thanking Susan for inspiring him to write the text. As Susan begins reading, Nocturnal Animals takes on a new life.

Without warning, we cut to Susan’s visual interpretation of the book. This story-within-a-story begins with Tony (Jake Gyllenhaal) driving his wife, Laura (Isla Fisher), and their daughter, India (Ellie Bamber), to a weekend home. They’re driving through the night, on barren Texas roads. In an instant, things go very, very wrong. It isn’t fair to describe what Tony and his family endures. To do so would diminish its horror. I will say, without hesitation, that this scene of roadside terror is one of the most frightening things I’ve ever seen on film. This has nothing to do with physical violence, as none is shown. The scene takes its time tormenting us. You’re mortified by assuming where it will go. Watching this scene, I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. My palms sweated, my heart rate increased. It was as if I was watching the prelude to the rape scene in Deliverance for the first time, or the subway scene in Code Unknown. The scene is so realistic; it could happen to any of us. You’re in the wrong place at the wrong time and your world is forever altered.

Susan slams the manuscript shut, and the scene ends. Holy shit, that’s right, we’re only watching a fake imagining of Edward’s text. And then you remember, all narrative film is fake. Everything is imagined. Exactly.
We soon understand that Edward’s book is a violent metaphor for the emotional pain Susan caused Edward in real life. In remembering this pain, the film takes on yet another storyline, that of Susan’s actual past with Edward, who is also played by Jake Gyllenhaal. We see Susan and Edward as young, idealistic lovers. Susan battles her mother (Laura Linney in a delicious cameo) over Edward. Mom thinks he isn’t fit for Susan’s lifestyle. Susan disagrees. Time clearly proves momma was right.

The duration of Nocturnal Animals is spent unpacking these three narratives. The fictional plot (involving Tony and his family) is the most compelling, because it contains the heightened sensationalism we’re used to seeing in movies. Susan’s past and present storylines are more melancholic and cold, which is to say, more true to her life.

Because I described a moment of such great terror from Edward’s book, it’s important to note that once that scene is done, the fictional portion of Nocturnal Animals becomes unexpectedly entertaining. Much of this is credited to Michael Shannon’s hilarious turn as Texas lawman, Bobby Andes. The icy stares, the flat delivery – Ford even introduces him with an applause-worthy Hero Shot straight out of a ‘50s western. It’s some of Shannon’s best work, the type of role only he could pull off.
Everything in Nocturnal Animals continually shifts to fit the present tone. Joan Sobel’s nonlinear editing is essential to the film’s success. It’s a delicate foundation; remove or reorder any of the scenes, and the entire film could give out. Seamus McGarvey’s cinematography (captured entirely on 35mm film) subtly heightens each portion of the movie –from the callous detachment of Susan’s banal Los Angeles life, to the warm manic energy of the Texas fictional storyline. And Abel Korzeniowski’s score is as effective when it goes big (as it does in the unforgettable opening credits sequence) or small. Every aspect of the film helps paint a painfully real depiction of lost love.

Lost love is “lost” because not only is the love gone, but you are misplaced as well. But you move on. You adjust, you grow, you heal. Maybe you’ll end up meeting someone better than before. Someone who makes you feel alive and free and safe. Someone who makes you forget and forgive the pain your last love caused. Or perhaps you’ll slink. Slink into despair, longing and regret. Maybe you’ll sit and wait. Wait for that text, that email, that phone call. Maybe you’ll sit and wait and eye the door, hoping they’ll come through it. And they’ll smile. Or they won’t. A+

18 comments:

  1. I really want to see this as I know it's going to expand in the coming weeks. I love A Single Man a lot as I'm eager to see this not just for the premise but also for its cast which also includes Jena.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't WAIT to hear your thoughts on this one. It is so goddamn good.

      Delete
  2. I want to see this so much. I've been avoiding reviews of it from nonblogger friends, but my theater gets it in a couple of weeks. Great review! You've hyped me even more for it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice! So glad it's coming your way. It is so damn good. Really interested to hear your thoughts.

      Delete
  3. This is an excellent review and I'm so psyched to see the movie. I wanted to see this or Arrival yesterday but the only showing that suited me was that new Harry Potter thing but it was fun and Farrell was hot in it so money well spent. I hope they change the times on Friday and I will see either this or Arrival, I mean seriously Nocturnal Animals seems like one of those movies that has everything I love (including Michael Sheen!) and A Single Man is one of my all time favorites

    Also - I read 'Code Unknown' as 'Complete Unknown' :P Did you see this one? It has Weisz and Shannon in it and the story seems interesting

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really hope you like this one. It's fucked up and twisted in all the best ways, so I hope you dig it.

      I haven't seen Complete Unknown. It didn't really get much of a release here. But I'll watch those two in anything.

      Delete
  4. Haven't seen this yet, but fantastic review. It makes me more pumped up to see it when I get the chance. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice! It's so damn good. I hope you have a chance to see it soon!

      Delete
  5. I just saw this film today and was blown away! I completely agree with you when you say the film demands repeat viewings because although I found myself visually moved throughout, It didn't really hit me that the pain Susan caused Edward was a metaphoric reflection of his novel. Once this idea clicked, I was far more struck by the film than I could have expected. Amy Adams delivers what I consider to be her greatest performance. It's not so much in what she says in this film, but how she emotes. You get a sense of what she is thinking behind those eyes, particularly in the final scene of the film. The visceral intensity of her facial expressions reminded me a lot of Gena Rowlands in "Another Woman." This was a fantastic review of the film and I completely agree with the A+ Rating. Lets hope it gets the Oscar buzz it deserves!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment is gold. Not only did you like the movie, but you loved Amy Adams in it, AND referenced Another Woman, my favorite Woody Allen film. So glad you like Nocturnal Animals. That one has really stayed with me.

      Delete
    2. Thank you Alex! "Another Woman" is one of my all time favorites! Such an overlooked Allen film. I actually saw "Arrival" yesterday and was again blown away by Amy Adam's performance. Personally I still prefer her performance in "Nocturnal Animals." But she's already been nominated for Best Actress for "Arrival" at the Golden Globes. Which performance do you prefer?

      Delete
    3. I have to go with Nocturnal as well, for all the reasons you mentioned in your initial comment. It isn't an "awards type" of performance (too reflective, too sad, too silent), but that one really got me.

      Delete
    4. John Smith: What did you think of Aaron?

      Delete
    5. He's so good I honestly did not even know it was him for his first several scenes.

      Delete
  6. I finally got around to watch it and i absolutely LOVED it. It shot straight into my top 3 of the year and might even be number one after i have had some time to let it sink in. The cast were all fantastic. Even Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who i have never really been a big fan of, blew me away here. Jake Gyllenhaal however gave the stand out performance here i believe. He just keeps getting better and better. That scene when he breaks down in front of Michael Shannon. Damn. I am definitely gonna have to go back and watch Tom Ford's previous movie, A Single Man, now. It was a movie i missed back when it came out and never really got around to after that. Now i'm putting it on the top of my 'to watch' list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SO happy you liked this one. I saw it again over the holidays and still find it completely fascinating. A Single Man is a very different film, but, in a lot of ways, quite similar. They'd make a great double bill.

      Delete
  7. Hi Alex, splendid review. This movie utterly bewitched me. From the style to the acting, it provided a different experience. And like you said Michael Shannon was pretty outstanding in the part of the grizzled detective.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much. I'm really glad you liked the film. Shannon was so damn good in this.

      Delete