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In 2009, fashion designer turned writer and director Tom Ford stunned audiences with his striking first feature, A Single Man, starring Colin Firth. For his follow-up, Nocturnal Animals, he creates not just another stylish and sophisticated story—but one that’s tense and suspenseful, too.
Nocturnal Animals stars Amy Adams as Susan, a wealthy gallery owner who seems to live the perfect life. She has a stylish home, a handsome husband (Armie Hammer), and fabulous LA friends. But, in reality, her marriage and her husband’s business are both failing. One day, she receives an unexpected package from her ex-husband, Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal): the manuscript for his new novel, which he’s dedicated to her. And while her husband is away on yet another business trip, Susan finds herself engrossed in the gripping story and memories from her past.
Ford’s second feature is another stunning work of art, playing with light and shadows and color in some striking ways. Everything about Susan’s world is chic and stylish and modern: her clothes, her makeup, her hair, her home, and even her husband. The film wastes no time in immersing audiences into her world, opening the film at Susan’s latest exhibition—yet, despite its shocking imagery, she feels it’s just as dull and meaningless as everything else in her life.
Ford then takes away all of the polish and perfection to tell the story within the story: Edward’s novel about a man who goes on a trip with his wife and daughter and suffers all kinds of horrors at the hands of a group of men on a dark, deserted stretch of highway. The gritty, emotional story is set in stark contrast to Susan’s cold, antiseptic world. And while the film may revolve around Susan, the focus is here, in the back woods of West Texas, with a man who’s fighting for justice with the help of a tough but haggard lawman.
The performances, meanwhile, only add more interest to the film. Adams gives a restrained performance fitting with her character’s surroundings, while still portraying her character’s emotional journey. Gyllenhaal, meanwhile, has a whole lot more to work with—and he portrays the right mix of strength and sensitivity as both Susan’s ex and the novel’s protagonist. And Michael Shannon brings the perfect touches of craziness and backwoods justice to his role as the small-town officer who helps with the case.
There’s a lot going on here: drama, suspense, psychological thrills, and a couple of tangled, twisting stories. The storytelling doesn’t always feel seamless—and the conclusion feels abrupt and somewhat jarring. But it will leave you with plenty to consider and discuss after it’s over.
Nocturnal Animals isn’t an easy, straightforward film. It’s surprising and challenging and sometimes perplexing, too. But it’s a tense and fascinating film—and a striking sophomore release for Ford.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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