Based on the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham, Nightmare Alley sees the return of Oscar winning director Guillermo Del Toro, who adapted the book together with his wife, screen writer Kim Morgan.
Bradley Cooper leads a star studded cast as Stanton Carlisle, an ambitious grifter with a violent past and a talent for manipulation.
Finding work with a travelling circus, Carlisle is clearly a cut above the rest of the workforce and is soon taken under the wing of Zeena and her alcoholic husband Pete (Toni Collette and David Strathairn) who run the carnival’s mind reading show.
Learning the secret verbal codes of the act and combining them with his natural powers of observation, Carlisle rapidly becomes a master of the trade.
Marrying Rooney Mara’s fellow huckster Molly, the couple relocate to Chicago to set up a high class mind reading show, which catches the attention of Cate Blanchett’s sceptical psychoanalyst Lilith Ritter. A high stakes proposition follows which draws Carlisle into a dangerous game of deception.
As a 40’s set Neo-Noir, the film has a creepy sense of dread coursing through its veins, but none of the supernatural elements usually associated with Del Toro’s films.
Instead of beasts we get monsters of the humankind and a tale as dark as you would expect from the Mexican film maker.
Continuing the directors penchant for visually dazzling films, the sleazy carnival underworld is beautifully realised and superbly captured by danish cinematographer Dan Laustsen.
The films rich aesthetic has been noticed by the academy and has been nominated for Oscars in the Production design, Costume design and Cinematography categories, alongside a best picture nomination.
Whilst controversially overlooked for best director, Del Toro continues to deliver bold and compelling stories and once again refuses to shy away from a gloriously bleak final act.
This combined with an array of fine performances from the films stellar cast, mean that despite its long runtime, Nightmare Alley is completely captivating viewing.
An unsettling tale from a master filmmaker that will linger long in the minds of its viewers. Outstanding!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Paul Steward
@Grittster
31/1/22