Nocturnal Animals
Director/Screenplay: Tom Ford
Cast: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher
Strength: Suspense, Thriller, Cinematography
Weakness: Ending
Runtime: 106min
Rating: 7/10
PLOT: While reading a book written by her ex-husband, the art gallery owner Susan Morrow starts seeing her life from a new perspective, slowly and steadily going back to past decisions which still haunts her in the present.
REVIEW: "Nocturnal Animals" is the kind of movie that is difficult to explain in a few words. The film revolves around multiple subplots which diverges into one grand display of the life of Susan Morrow (Amy Adams). This thriller movie manages to keep the viewer at the edge of the seat by constant plot-switching, which is accompanied by brilliant cinematography and excellent acting. One thing that will confuse viewers at first is the blurring between Amy's present world and her past. The movie seldom indicates when Amy is having a flashback, or when she is imagining the events of the book as she is reading it. But that confusion will soon wear out as the plot thickens and the main character of the book 'Nocturnal Animals', Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal), succumbs himself into a path of revenge.
Significant portions of the movie focus on the plot of the book, which comes as no surprise as the movie is named after the very same book. The utilization of the story of the book 'Nocturnal Animals' is what brings out the best part of the movie "Nocturnal Animals": the suspense. The turmoil of Edward Sheffield is heart-wrenching and cruel, and as Amy reads on, the suspense builds up in a frightening manner. Credits need to be given to director and writer Tom Ford for managing impeccable screenplay, which makes the movie a sheer treat to experience. The movie wraps itself up in an open-ended conclusion, leaving the viewer to question the life of Susan: Is she happy? Does she want to go back to her previous life? What made her change? Did she really love her ex-husband? The answers lie within the viewer and the viewer's interpretations only.
Reviewed by Shams Rashid Tonmoy
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