A Novel Idea: "Nocturnal Animals" Review
"An art gallery owner is haunted by her ex-husband's novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a veiled threat and symbolic revenge tale"
Directed by: Tom Ford
Written by: Tom Ford (Screenplay)
Written by: Tom Ford (Screenplay)
Austin Wright (Novel)
Starring: Amy Adams
Starring: Amy Adams
Jake Gyllenhaal
Michael Shannon
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Tom Ford's sophomore effort is better than his debut (A Single Man) in a lot of ways but in the ways that count it falls short. That's not to say Nocturnal Animals is a bad film, it's quite good, but to live up to such an excellent career-starter is tough work and it falls just a bit short. This one is a little interesting because I'm not sure how to classify it. It's two different films and yet one whole film all the same and as a whole film I don't think it gels the way it needs to. Amy Adams plays Susan, a comprised character that at some point in her life wanted to be an artist but settled for the stability of financial success. Now instead of being the artist, she's the proprietor of art as a gallery owner. She's married to young, uber-successful Hutton (Armie Hammer) and the two float through life as a terse, clearly unhappy couple. They attend lavish parties hosted by flakey elites and live in a sparse, desolate mansion. If you weren't careful you'd mistake this for a Bret Easton Ellis adaptation because the characters speak in stilted dialogue and move through the world with general disinterest. Like Ellis, Ford wants you to know how sure the hands you're in are so he populates his world with familiar faces (Michael Sheen, Andrea Riseborough, Jena Malone, Laura Linney) who don't matter to the film at all but give you a sense of familiarity to ease you into an unreal world. It's a pretty good tactic if a bit boastful. The main thrust of it is that Susan receives a manuscript for her ex-husband's novel and she lies down to read it and this is where our film really begins.
It turns out that Susan's story is the wraparound of the main story which involves a preppy Texas family (Jake Gyllenhaal, Isla Fisher and Ellie Bamber) set off on vacation, run off the road by a group of hillbillies (led by an almost unrecognizable Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and subsequently have their lives ruined. Gyllenhaal's Tony watches helplessly as his wife and daughter are kidnapped and he's left for dead. He goes to the police and is helped by Michael Shannon's Detective Andes and finds that they've been killed. It's a pretty standard murder/revenger neo-noir from here and that's about it. What's almost fascinating though is that as the story unfolds, both in reality and in fiction, you discover that this novel is a thinly veiled analogue to Susan and her ex-husband's failed marriage. The attack, the murder, the rape, all of it are metaphors for what he's felt for the last 20 or so years. Ford builds this very well and does a pretty excellent job of revealing key bits of information as he goes along. In only his second film he feels like a seasoned hand at storytelling. There's no excess fat and his film moves at a quick clip never stalling for any excess baggage.
The problem, for me, is that none of this is really compelling. It's extremely well made, seriously every shot could be hung as a work of art and again, the story is tight but there's just nothing here that's really interesting. It feels like a regression to me because in A Single Man, Ford worked against a familiar story but he gave us characters that we almost immediately cared about. Amy Adams is one of the best actresses in the business but she has so little to work with as Susan. She's a flat, disinterested character and her surroundings are the same. I get that that's the point, she's fallen into a fake world with fake people and has convinced herself that this is right for her but it just doesn't come together for me. If we were given just a little more of her to work with then I think I could've engaged more but she feels two-dimensional at every level, there never feels like there was depth there to begin with. The story-within-the-story has the same problem for me. While it's more interesting than its wraparound, it's still a stock thriller that never really thrills. You know exactly where it's going and you're never in suspense. At one point we cut back to the real world and Susan emails Tony to tell him how beautifully written his story is. But is it? Because it really feels run of the mill.
Aside from Ford's astounding eye for film, the performances here are top notch and they're what really save the film from being forgettable. Adams is a sure, steady hand as usual and Jake Gyllenhaal (who also plays her ex-husband author in flashbacks) is incredible. He excels in dual roles and is really turning into to one of THE must-watch actors of our time. The pain in his eyes is never not real. He's a rare actor that can emote a million different feelings with one look and it's a pleasure to watch his career evolve. The two that steal the film are Shannon and Taylor-Johnson. Shannon's character is odd because he's committed to helping Tony find justice and while it's admirable, you find yourself wondering why he cares so much about Tony. It's his job as a detective but there's never a moment where they really bond. His obsession with cracking case is explained but you're not really given an key into his character so it feels kind of forced. Either way, Shannon is an absolute joy as usual. Just the right amount of tics and drawl of his voice and he sells the shit out of this role. I'm never able to take my eyes off of Michael Shannon and it's no different here. He takes a pretty nothing role and almost walks away with the film. The one who does walk away with the film is Aaron Taylor-Johnson who destroyed my previous conceptions of him. I've never been a fan of his because I've always felt that he's a wooden, stiff actor that doesn't possess much range. Holy shit was I wrong. With greasy, long hair and a disgusting, patchy beard he's hard to recognize but it isn't just aesthetics, he's a different person than you're ever used to seeing from him. His body language, his accent and his swagger are pitch perfect. This character could've been a caricature but he finds just the right amount of nuance to really make this character sing. It's very impressive.
Other than that, I can't really say I loved this film. I'm happy that I saw it and Ford remains a filmmaker that I'll always trek to the theater for. He's got such a unique eye for composition and tension. This film features plenty of uneasy moments, including a garish, acid-trip of an opening credits sequence and though it's been said elsewhere I'll reiterate it: Ford needs to make a horror film. ASAP. I think this film tries a little harder to be something it's not. It couples hollow, stereotypical LA disillusionment with trashy, revenge thriller and hammers home a pretty blunt metaphor about love and loss. Thank god for Ford and his core cast because without those elements this film sinks. Instead it swims just enough to warrant a recommendation from me. If you liked A Single Man then you'll probably be more apt to want to see this like me and if you're in the mood for a pretty quick and effortless thriller I'd say give it a go.
It turns out that Susan's story is the wraparound of the main story which involves a preppy Texas family (Jake Gyllenhaal, Isla Fisher and Ellie Bamber) set off on vacation, run off the road by a group of hillbillies (led by an almost unrecognizable Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and subsequently have their lives ruined. Gyllenhaal's Tony watches helplessly as his wife and daughter are kidnapped and he's left for dead. He goes to the police and is helped by Michael Shannon's Detective Andes and finds that they've been killed. It's a pretty standard murder/revenger neo-noir from here and that's about it. What's almost fascinating though is that as the story unfolds, both in reality and in fiction, you discover that this novel is a thinly veiled analogue to Susan and her ex-husband's failed marriage. The attack, the murder, the rape, all of it are metaphors for what he's felt for the last 20 or so years. Ford builds this very well and does a pretty excellent job of revealing key bits of information as he goes along. In only his second film he feels like a seasoned hand at storytelling. There's no excess fat and his film moves at a quick clip never stalling for any excess baggage.
The problem, for me, is that none of this is really compelling. It's extremely well made, seriously every shot could be hung as a work of art and again, the story is tight but there's just nothing here that's really interesting. It feels like a regression to me because in A Single Man, Ford worked against a familiar story but he gave us characters that we almost immediately cared about. Amy Adams is one of the best actresses in the business but she has so little to work with as Susan. She's a flat, disinterested character and her surroundings are the same. I get that that's the point, she's fallen into a fake world with fake people and has convinced herself that this is right for her but it just doesn't come together for me. If we were given just a little more of her to work with then I think I could've engaged more but she feels two-dimensional at every level, there never feels like there was depth there to begin with. The story-within-the-story has the same problem for me. While it's more interesting than its wraparound, it's still a stock thriller that never really thrills. You know exactly where it's going and you're never in suspense. At one point we cut back to the real world and Susan emails Tony to tell him how beautifully written his story is. But is it? Because it really feels run of the mill.
Aside from Ford's astounding eye for film, the performances here are top notch and they're what really save the film from being forgettable. Adams is a sure, steady hand as usual and Jake Gyllenhaal (who also plays her ex-husband author in flashbacks) is incredible. He excels in dual roles and is really turning into to one of THE must-watch actors of our time. The pain in his eyes is never not real. He's a rare actor that can emote a million different feelings with one look and it's a pleasure to watch his career evolve. The two that steal the film are Shannon and Taylor-Johnson. Shannon's character is odd because he's committed to helping Tony find justice and while it's admirable, you find yourself wondering why he cares so much about Tony. It's his job as a detective but there's never a moment where they really bond. His obsession with cracking case is explained but you're not really given an key into his character so it feels kind of forced. Either way, Shannon is an absolute joy as usual. Just the right amount of tics and drawl of his voice and he sells the shit out of this role. I'm never able to take my eyes off of Michael Shannon and it's no different here. He takes a pretty nothing role and almost walks away with the film. The one who does walk away with the film is Aaron Taylor-Johnson who destroyed my previous conceptions of him. I've never been a fan of his because I've always felt that he's a wooden, stiff actor that doesn't possess much range. Holy shit was I wrong. With greasy, long hair and a disgusting, patchy beard he's hard to recognize but it isn't just aesthetics, he's a different person than you're ever used to seeing from him. His body language, his accent and his swagger are pitch perfect. This character could've been a caricature but he finds just the right amount of nuance to really make this character sing. It's very impressive.
Other than that, I can't really say I loved this film. I'm happy that I saw it and Ford remains a filmmaker that I'll always trek to the theater for. He's got such a unique eye for composition and tension. This film features plenty of uneasy moments, including a garish, acid-trip of an opening credits sequence and though it's been said elsewhere I'll reiterate it: Ford needs to make a horror film. ASAP. I think this film tries a little harder to be something it's not. It couples hollow, stereotypical LA disillusionment with trashy, revenge thriller and hammers home a pretty blunt metaphor about love and loss. Thank god for Ford and his core cast because without those elements this film sinks. Instead it swims just enough to warrant a recommendation from me. If you liked A Single Man then you'll probably be more apt to want to see this like me and if you're in the mood for a pretty quick and effortless thriller I'd say give it a go.
VERDICT
A slightly disappointing step-down for Tom Ford after a masterful debut but a good film nonetheless. Bolstered by incredible performance from the core four and gorgeously made, Nocturnal Animals is, at the very least, worth your time on the big screen. See it for Ford's lush, filmic artistry and stay for Michael Shannon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Then wait with bated breath for Ford's next, hopefully better film.
7/10
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