In 1940s New York, down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle endears himself to a clairvoyant and her mentalist husband at a traveling carnival. Using newly acquired knowledge, Carlisle crafts a golden ticket to success by swindling the elite and wealthy. Hoping for a big score, he soon hatches a scheme to con a dangerous tycoon with help from a mysterious psychiatrist who might be his most formidable opponent yet.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, David Strathairn
Release Date:
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Rated R for strong/bloody violence, some sexual content, nudity and language
Runtime: 2h 30m
Review:
Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley is a lavishly directed film noir morality tale that's as engrossing as it is engaging. Del Toro channel's plenty of classic noir films in this remake of the 1947 original while adding his own personal twist. The visually lean heavily on art deco designs with tinges of the macabre which fits with Del Toro's style. Bradley Cooper is at the center of the film and does impressively well as the charlatan who drives the film. Cooper's performance transforms as the character evolves over the course of the film's runtime with broad and occasionally more subtle choices. It's a fascinating performance that blooms as the film moves on. Willem Dafoe, Toni Collette and David Strathairn carry the majority of the supporting load in the first half of the film with each leaving a strong impression before the scene shifts. The second half though belongs to Cate Blanchett who's the defacto femme fatale of the piece. Blanchett's angelic yet menacing face fits the role perfectly as she delivers lines with steely precision and intensity. This film is an actor's playground which makes its leisurely pacing easier to digest as you appreciate the performances on display. Nightmare Alley isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea but for those who can appreciate meticulous filmmaking with top notch performances will find plenty to love here.
A-
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