GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S vision has always been cemented as cinematic alchemical art, mainly due to his visual symbolism and the artistic beauty that is embedded in his depictions of gargoyle faces and grotesques. Del Toro’s latest directorial effort, Nightmare Alley, propels his ingenuity to lead the film by blending in elements of psychology and thriller.
Set in the 1940s, the movie centres on a drifter, Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) who finds himself working as a carny, and befriends an older couple, Zeena (Toni Collette) and Peter (David Strathairn). When Stan discovers they are both clairvoyants and mentalists, he begins learning the tricks of the trade.
Being an opportunist, he uses his newly gained knowledge as a golden ticket to escape the back-road carnival. As he takes over New York with his mentalist act along with his love interest, Molly (Rooney Mara) and deceiving the wealthy, he soon meets a psychiatrist, Dr Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett) who takes an interest in turning his life around.
While most of del Toro’s oeuvres blur the line between reality and fantasy, Nightmare Alley strays far from his usual. Here he brings the audience on a darker journey with Stan’s mysterious character and slowly unravels the grim corners of his life. Adapted from William Lindsay Gresham’s novel, del Toro’s film captures the spirit of the book impeccably.
Although the plot presents a mystery element, I think the first act of the movie started at a slow pace which nearly felt like watching paint dry, probably because only fast-paced movies pique my interest. Though, I suppose it was intentional as del Toro planned on building up Stan’s character and journey with a string of unanticipated events.
Surprisingly, several questions started racing through my mind as the plot progressed, and it left me invested throughout, for which I have to credit the cast of talented actors who showcased charismatic and stellar performances. With Cooper’s casually brutal acting in the film, the award-winning actor certainly brought out the self-destructive characteristics of the handsome and mysterious character. Collette and Willem Dafoe’s characters made a lasting impression, and I believe that they deserved more screen time.
Technical-wise, the beautiful production design was executed flawlessly. Its cinematography and sound effects deserve to be praised as well. Overall, I’d say Nightmare Alley is worth the watch, and a great film to kickstart the new year.
Nightmare Alley will be showing in cinemas on Jan 13.
