BFS presents “Movie Review”
𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪-4 (Light Spoiler)⚠️
🎬Movie: Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Genre: Thriller/Drama
⏳Duration: 1h 56m
🎭Cast: Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Jake Gyllenhaal
📽Director: Tom Ford
IMDb rating: 7.5/10
Excerpt: Susan receives a manuscript of her ex-husband Edward’s new novel and finds it very compelling. However, the story forces her to confront several disturbing truths about their marital life.
Is our life the total of our pain or is it the total of our happiness? Perhaps it is both or neither. How much pain do you have to endure to hurt the person you love most in this world? Would you be hurt if your loved one didn’t want you to follow your dream? What if they cheated on you and left you? Would you be hurt then? Will you be hurt enough to write a book that parallels your relationship? What do you think will give you peace in your life, money or love? The answer is neither and it is portrayed exquisitely through the character of Susan, played by Amy Adams.
Adapted from the book “Tony and Susan” by Austin Wright in which Susan reads the manuscript “Nocturnal Animals”, written by her ex-husband Edward, in which a man named Tony seeks revenge against three men. This movie shows one of Tom Ford’s greatest directions.
There are three timelines, the present, the past, and the book, in this film. We follow these timelines simultaneously but it has been done so accurately that the three stories always feel intertwined. Almost as if one of the stories would be incomplete without the other two. And it is done with unparalleled cinematography from two times Academy Award nominee, Seamus McGarvey. The amount of sheer thrill you’ll feel in some parts of the film is indescribable.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays his part so incredibly well that it is impossible to not feel sympathetic for his character. Aaron Taylor Johnson’s near-perfect acting as the villain will make your blood boil in any scene he’s in. Michael Shannon and his superb performance will make you want to come back to this movie again and again. The parallels and metaphors in this movie are presented most pleasingly. Anyone can make beautiful connections between the three stories through elegant camera work and thoughtful visuals.
Unlike many other thriller films, you wouldn’t spend the whole time on the edge of your seat. Rather, you’ll feel a depressing tone all through the movie in every scene. The movie also uses flashbacks as storytelling so magnificently that it feels natural.
I rarely feel emotional watching movies, but this is one of those films that has shaken me to my core. I would give this movie a 9/10. I don’t have any particular complaint but I feel like something’s missing whenever I watch this film.
- Zakaria Zishan (CE ’21)