Review of Nocturnal Animals (2016) by Kyra C — 31 Dec 2016

I have a feeling that NOCTURNAL ANIMALS is a film which will reward multiple viewings. At first glance, it's a thematically dense and ambiguous work which may run the risk of leaving some in the audience cold.

I appreciate its intentions, though, and found myself pulled in by the structurally inventive and engaging screenplay, which essentially presents a trio of parallel narratives. The Amy Adams side of the story (ostensibly taking place in the "real world") is stylish and austere, reminding one at times of De Palma or Hitchcock; there's also a vaguely stilted quality to this material which feels both intentional and appropriate, as it contrasts nicely with the intense and heated elements of Jake Gyllenhaal's story-within-the-story.

There can be no denying that this component of the narrative is the most engaging, as it showcases legitimately tense thriller elements and the movie's three strongest performances. Aaron-Taylor Johnson shows off a range that I never expected to see from him, while Michael Shannon continues his streak of very strong work with his beautifully matter-of-fact (yet just slightly odd) lawman portrayal here.

It is Gyllenhaal, though, who delivers the performance of the film (and one of the best of the year); he conveys so much coiled-up anger and emotion hiding behind an "aw shucks" front, and it's a performance full of layers begging for further examination.

Also of particular note is the gorgeous, lush score from Abel Korzeniowski, which feels like a wonderful homage to the great Bernard Herrmann. Writer/director Tom Ford's handling of the story's finale will surely be a source of some frustration, and in the moment it did bother me, but the more I think about it, the more I've come to the conclusion that any other ending might have robbed the story of some of its power.

After one viewing, I think NOCTURNAL ANIMALS is a very strong and unique effort; further viewings will reveal whether or not it can take its place among the very best movies of 2016.