Whether you’re a fan of his films or not, Guillermo Del Toro is a fascinating filmmaker that creates one-of-a-kind experiences that completely envelop your senses and create a mood that you’re swept up in. Nightmare Alley is no different, other than the fact that it’s the standard runtime for every movie in 2021 – 2 1/2 hours.
In Nightmare Alley, wandering grifter Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) enters the shady world of traveling carnivals and encounters several colorful characters and picks up a few tricks. Along his journey, he encounters a psychiatrist who involves him in a con that may bring him big rewards, but comes with high stakes.
This is a remake of a 1947 movie, which is based on the book of the same name. I’m extremely curious to go back and watch that noir thriller, starring Tyrone Power and Coleen Gray, to see if they capture the showbiz underbelly of the carnival and just how dangerous one man’s pursuits can lead him to be.
The cast of Nightmare Alley is stacked. Joining Cooper is Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Richard Jenkins, David Strathairn, Ron Perlman, among many others. This film has the who’s who of character actors. There isn’t a weak link among them.
In many ways, this felt paced like an older movie. It doesn’t explain any inciting incidents. Instead we just witness the rise of Cooper’s character as he and the audience take in his experiences at the carnival and beyond. While there are characters in the carnival that aren’t very trustworthy, you feel a sense of belonging and comfort. There’s a distinct turn as Stanton attempts to take his newfound talents out of the low-brow and starts conning the elites of society. The consequences and tension built here make this movie an eerie thriller that sticks with you.
Stanton is a product of those he encounters in his travels. Rooney Mara’s Molly brings him peace. She is the voice of hope and reason. Meanwhile, Cate Blanchett’s Dr. Lilith Ritter is an intellectual adversary that Stanton cannot refuse to compete with in the hopes that he can win her over. There is a major theme of finding and choosing contentment versus greed and vanity. These two characters perfectly symbolize what Stanton must choose between.
Del Toro’s involvement and the title may lead some to believe this is a straight up horror. Yet, Del Toro’s last few movies do anything to avoid a straight-forward genre formula. Going in, you should expect a noir thriller that has every element to make you unsettled. Rather than focusing on ghosts or mermen (As Del Toro has in his previous two movies), he puts the spotlight on the potential darkness of human nature. I’d almost say it was a slow burn thriller, but watching these actors sink into their characters doesn’t make the film feel slow.
The production design, the fitting score, and instant moods created just show the technical prowess of Guillermo Del Toro. He seemingly doesn’t seem to be making movies for anyone other than himself (as many of his movies are less accessible to general audiences), but with every movie he adds his stamp to film history.
Nightmare Alley is Del Toro’s best work in over a decade. It has all the makings of a sleeper success that may disappear under the excesses of Christmas blockbusters, but should be discovered regardless. While the story may feel like it belongs in the 40s, nearly every element works from the acting, the mood, the build-up, and some gut-punching surprises. Like every movie this year, it’s a good 20 minutes too long, but given the director’s talents, I’m not sure what I’d want cut out. This movie will provide an eerie holiday treat that will bring pure escapism, even if it is to a grimy carnival freak show. B+
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