Rating: 7 of 10
A dark and depressing story within a story, yet also triumphant and empowering.
Synopsis: “An art gallery owner is haunted by her ex-husband’s novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a veiled threat and a symbolic revenge tale.” (source)
My thoughts: NOCTURNAL ANIMALS will resonate most with viewers who:
* have been dumped for the very thing that first attracted their ex (e.g., sensitive, creative, loyal);
* broke up with someone because, whether consciously or subconsciously, they knew it’s what their mother/ father/ family/ society wanted them to do;
* threw away a great partner on a whim, only to years later realize that person was “the one”; or,
* had their heart broken and used their writing to exact revenge.
Be warned: The opening credits will likely cause discomfort. Keep an open mind about what Susan (Amy Adams) is trying to convey with that exhibit. From that point forward I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. Tom Ford is an excellent storyteller, and he uses the story-within-a-story frame to tell us everything we need to know and understand about Susan and Edward. I’ll admit, the ending left me…conflicted. On the one hand, I was like “Dammmmmn!” On the other hand, I was like “Awwwww!”
If you’re someone who can see the same situation from different sides, you’ll understand why I was left somewhere in the middle of satisfied and dissatisfied. But, as the credits rolled, I walked out of the theater with a big smile on my face.
Highly recommended if you enjoyed movies like MR NOBODY or MEMENTO.
Check out NOCTURNAL ANIMALS official website and trailer on Focus Features | on IMDb | on Twitter
(Watched at AMC Lennox 12/7/2016)