Nocturnal Animals

Tags

2010's, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Amy Adams, Armie Hammer, Drama, Isla Fisher, Jake Gyllenhaal, Laura Linney, Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals, Thriller, Tom Ford

Film Title

Nocturnal Animals

Director

Tom Ford

Starring

• Amy Adams as Susan Morrow
• Jake Gyllenhaal as Edward Sheffield/ Tony Hastings
• Michael Shannon as Detective Bobby Andes
• Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Ray Marcus
• Isla Fisher as Laura Hastings
• Armie Hammer as Hutton Morrow
• Laura Linney as Anne

I promised my readers in a recent post that I would be going the cinema more often so that’s just what I did. I went to see Nocturnal Animals, the second film by fashion designer turned director Tom Ford. And let me say, it is a fine drama-thriller composed with style and substance as it traverses through the effects of revenge, betrayal and violence.

Susan Morrow is a beautiful and successful Los Angeles art gallery owner, who specialises in avant-garde exhibitions. To look at this woman she has it all; a handsome younger husband Hutton, a swanky house and glowing career. But underneath the surface of elegance that she puts on, Susan is extremely lonely. Plagued by insomnia, hateful of the work she does that she refers to as junk and filled with jaded feelings, her life is clearly not as ideal as it appears. Out of the blue, Susan is sent the manuscript to a book entitled Nocturnal Animals, written by her ex-husband Edward, who she hasn’t spoken to in 19 years. Susan, bewildered by Edward sending the book to her and dedicating it to her, begins reading it while her philandering husband is away on business. The story is one of retribution and revenge concerning a family travelling through West Texas and being menaced by rednecks, who kidnap the protagonist’s wife and daughter. Susan imagines the main character of Tony as resembling Edward, clearly illustrating unfinished business between the two. As the tale progress, Tony takes the law into his own hands along with the no-nonsense, grizzled, Stetson sporting Detective Bobby Andes in an attempt to dish out revenge to the men who ruined his life. The brutal and desperately sad nature of the book disturbs yet grips Susan, who unravels emotionally as she begins to see it as a thinly veiled attack on her and how she ended the relationship with Edward, who she proclaimed as weak. Soon, Susan has to come to terms with what she did to her ex-husband as his book has a significant impact on former wife.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a film by someone with a background in fashion will be stylish and Nocturnal Animals very much is. At least however there is a lot of substance to this movie that displays Ford’s growing skill as a film maker, with his choices of shooting a movie this ambitious and delivering it with dark and toxic panache. Tom Ford shows that he contributes just as much to cinema as he does to fashion and can bridge the gap with stylish ease. And the way he paces the film as a slow-burning one suits the unwinding tales of darkness that we come to view. While Nocturnal Animals is splendidly lensed and filled with intoxicating imagery that will be difficult to swat away, it is the stories that unfurl that catches the eye as well. Sometimes films that have an arty look can descend into pretentiousness, but Nocturnal Animals is refreshingly not one of them as the narratives it creates and the execution of each are gripping without being confusing. The three stories at play, the drama of Susan having her misdeeds laid bare, the southern revenge tale and the recollections of the past are all extremely well observed and presented. The editing between the three showcases the links between them and thankfully you are not left scratching your head over which part is the present, past and which is the fiction. It is almost like watching two films in one, yet the way that they dovetail in acerbic fashion and cast a spell, it is hard to tear your eyes away from the dark movie at play. There is something very surreal about watching Nocturnal Animals as it weaves together everything and through visuals, it brings out different shifts in genre and tone that are adroitly handled. For example, you have the grotesque opening at Susan’s art exhibition that reveals her inner demons and ugliness beneath the veneer that points to drama in her life, then within minutes once the book is opened, a lot of noir-like tension is employed in the violent tale of an ordinary man pushed to the edge until he is capable of brutality himself. Apart from the occasional languors, Nocturnal Animals keeps you watching as narratives unfold with certain symmetry( many shots mirror each other as momentum grows), that Susan becomes very much aware of. While physical violence is at the heart of the tale, there is the emotional violence inflicted on Susan as she is forced to evaluate her past that opens up like a gaping wound and threatens to drown her. At various points of the film, we see Susan dropping the book because it hits so close to home and the way the camera lingers on her pained face, says a lot about how guilty she feels about her treatment of Edward. It would have been a cheap shot to feature Edward in the present being pleased with his revenge, but thankfully Tom Ford jettisons that predictable idea by leaving him in the past, which only causes the impact his book has on Susan to heighten largely. Some may find Nocturnal Animals too stylised and a little bit cold, but that is to miss the level of attention the film has to each story and how they compliment the other by slowly meshing together. A lot of tension and suspense is given to Nocturnal Animals through the score, that swells and builds with the feeling of work by Bernard Herrmann and the music he provided for Hitchcock.

Amy Adams turns in an outstandingly nuanced turn as Susan, whose hollow, haunted and brittle existence is given a kicking in the guts by the book she receives that causes her to confront the bad past decisions she made. Adams does so much acting with her face that is riveting to watch even when she is silent. You witness the sadness, pain and regret in those large blue eyes and it is quite something to watch how subtle her acting is as she gets right under the skin of the character. Adams has become one of my favourite actresses over the years, and with her turn in Nocturnal Animals, it displays everything I find riveting about her acting style and effectiveness. I wouldn’t be surprised if Amy Adams is up for many awards come next year for her exemplary portrayal. Jake Gyllenhaal pulls double duty by playing both the Edward from the past who was sensitive and the literary counterpart of the vengeful Tony. Gyllenhaal effortlessly judges the differences in the characters and makes each an individual, that still ties in with a certain duality that Nocturnal Animals has going in. From the wide-eyed and nice enthusiasm of Edward in years gone by to the boiling cauldron of repressed anger that is Tony, Gyllenhaal knocks both roles out of the park. Michael Shannon is one of the most versatile actors in my opinion and I always enjoy seeing him pop up in movies. It’s safe to say I was mightily impressed with his supporting turn as the gruff and embittered detective, who is the man who wants to see justice done for Tony and has had enough of all the horror he has seen that has gone unpunished. This weariness, as well as level of sarcasm is brought to the part with a sense of dark charisma from Michael Shannon. Unrecognisable in the part of the sinister redneck monster who terrorises Tony and his family, Aaron Taylor-Johnson exudes such a grimy menace and psychopathic tendencies that you feel genuinely frightened by his strange presence in this unusual movie. You can practically feel the dirtiness of the character as it radiates off the screen with a malicious grin. Isla Fisher appears in a small but integral part of the kidnapped wife in the book Edward has written and the fact that she has a resemblance to Amy Adams gives another level of acidic side-swiping to the narrative as Susan is left reeling by what she reads. Armie Hammer does well with what he is given as the philandering husband, while a scene-stealing Laura Linney makes her presence felt portraying Susan’s nasty and bigoted mother.

Gorgeously shot, atmospherically rendered with skill by Tom Ford and excellently played by the cast, in particular Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal, Nocturnal Animals is a genre-bending movie that opens up a blistering set of stories that tie together with deft assurance and disturbing impact. Trust me, this is one of those movies that gets right under the skin and must be digested for all the impact and things it has in it long after viewing. Even as I write this review, I’m still putting parts together and remembering little bits that may have escaped my attention at first.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E

Tags

2010's, Action, Alicia Vikander, Armie Hammer, Elizabeth Debicki, Guy Ritchie, Henry Cavill, Hugh Grant, Spy, The Man from U.N.C.L.E

Film Title

The Man from U.N.C.L.E

Director

Guy Ritchie

Starring

• Henry Cavill as Napoleon Solo
• Armie Hammer as Illya Kuryakin
• Alicia Vikander as Gaby Teller
• Elizabeth Debicki as Victoria Vinciguerra
• Hugh Grant as Alexander Waverly

A super slick and retro-tinged reboot of the 60’s television show brought to life by the great direction of Guy Ritchie, The Man from U.N.C.L.E is a stylish and delightfully light-hearted spy movie that will leave you with a ridiculous grin on your face because of the utter enjoyment and excitement there is to be had with it.

The year is 1963 and the Cold War is at its height. Suave and super cool CIA agent Napoleon Solo, who was once a former thief, manages to extract the beautiful mechanic Gaby Teller from East Berlin. Their attempt at this is only hampered by the interruptions of violent and hulking KGB agent Illya Kuryakin. Gaby is the daughter of a scientist who has been kidnapped and forced to help craft a nuclear bomb. With Gaby now seemingly safe for the time being, Solo is briefed by his CIA head about a dangerous new mission, with a very big and unexpected difference. All traces of this potential nuclear disaster point to a shipping company headed by the seductive Victoria Vinciguerra and her husband, who are both Nazi sympathizers. With their plan for the nuclear bomb, both the KGB and CIA are worried about the potential worldwide crisis it would bring. The two agencies agree to work together, and this is where the debonair Solo comes into contact once more with the taciturn and efficient Kuryakin. They are to work together to infiltrate the Vinciguerra company and rescue Gaby’s estranged father, along with acquiring his research for either government covertly. As part of the cover, the quick-witted Gaby comes along pretending to be the fiancée of Kuryakin. The mission, that takes them from Germany to Rome, is not going to be easy, especially because of the intense rivalry and dislike between Solo and Kuryakin. But soon enough, the mismatched agents see that they must put aside their differences and competitive nature aside in order to work as a team in order to avoid a world destroying plan, that is now dangerously in quickening motion.

From the opening of the movie with a groovy title sequence detailing the history of the Cold War set to a slinky soundtrack, you know that The Man from U.N.C.L.E will definitely be a delightful way to spend a few hours. Guy Ritchie directs with colourful exuberance, crafting this world of espionage as one of glamour and danger, which often intertwine. From the use of split-screen and unusual camera angles, Ritchie seems to be firing on all cylinders and this is for the better as it gives kinetic energy and well-timed humour to the proceedings. A quick fire script of blisteringly amusing one-liners and situations is an utter marvel and really delivers in the thrill department too. Costume design is suitably eye-catching and the sets recall the early Bond movies with luxurious mansions, castles and racetracks. A jaunty and adventurous score underlines the light-hearted, breezy atmosphere of the film, merging perfectly with well-chosen songs from the 60’s. You’d think that with all this visual splendour taking place that The Man from U.N.C.L.E would suffer in the story department. Thankfully, the plot of the movie retains interest throughout with its pastiche of spy action and mismatched buddy humour between the dashing Solo and moody Kuryakin keeping everything ticking over with panache. There will be those that will hop on the bandwagon and say that the movie is nothing but a show of excessive style, but I for one loved the style and thought that it complimented the movie, rather than hindered it.

Ritchie assembles a truly inspired and game cast who play their roles with such ease and charm. Heading this is the dapper Henry Cavill, whose smooth and cool as a cucumber personality make Solo a likable maverick style hero. Relishing the humour and equally adept with the physical stuff, Cavill shows that he has the requisite skill set to become a future contender for the role of James Bond. Equally as impressive is Armie Hammer, who uses his large frame and imposing stance to portray the violent and tough Illya. Yet he resists the temptation to just make Illya a massive brute and nothing else. He does this by infusing the character with a reluctant humour that is very funny as he begins to come around to the idea of working with Solo, who he holds deep animosity for. The wonderful Alicia Vikander( who is fast becoming one of my favourite actresses) is luminous and sparky as Gaby, who in the beginning comes across as just a quick-witted but very sweet pawn in the game. In reality, she is whip-smart and knows a lot more than she’s letting on. All of this, plus sparkling chemistry with the leading men, make the performance by Alicia Vikander a joy to watch. As the other female in the movie, Elizabeth Debicki is delightfully cunning and poisonous as the femme fatale with dangerous plans on her mind. And rounding out the cast is Hugh Grant, who has the necessary adroit humour and authority to play a spymaster, pulling many of the strings on the mission.

A colourful, amusing and thrilling spy caper, The Man from U.N.C.L.E is in a nutshell a movie that is full to the brim with wit, action and fun.

Mirror, Mirror

Tags

2010's, Armie Hammer, Comedy, Fantasy, Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Mirror Mirror, Nathan Lane, Sean Bean, Tarsem Singh

Film Title

Mirror, Mirror

Director

Tarsem Singh

Starring

• Lily Collins as Snow White
• Julia Roberts as The Queen
• Armie Hammer as Prince Alcott
• Nathan Lane as Brighton
• Sean Bean as The King

A visually splendid but somewhat lacking retelling of the Snow White fairy tale, Mirror, Mirror is opulent to look at but not a wholly successful update. It is a movie of both positives and negatives, yet this comedy/fantasy still leaves you somewhat deflated after watching.

Once upon a time, we see that a young princess by the name of Snow White was born, though her mother died in childbirth. Her grieving father the King married a most beautiful woman, before he mysteriously vanished in the dark forest and was presumed dead. The beautiful yet insecure Queen takes guardianship over Snow White and began to show her true colours by locking her away from the outside world out of fear that her beauty will outshine hers. Her reasoning for this is her magic mirror, which informs her that her beauty will be surpassed by Snow White. The envious Queen has also left the kingdom destitute as a result of her increasing vanity. She is advised to seek out a rich husband and she finds an ideal candidate in the form of the hapless but dashing Prince Alcott. The problem is that he is besotted with the beautiful and innocent Snow White. Enraged, she sends her servant Brighton out into the forest to kill her. Brighton can’t go through with it and lets the young girl escape deep into the forest. There she is taken in by a group of dwarf bandits, who steal what they can from people crossing through the woods. Exiled by the Queen, the seven bandits begin to teach Snow White the tricks of their trade, helping her to grow stronger in order for her to take back the throne that is rightfully hers by birth before the evil Queen can bewitch Prince Alcott into marrying her.

Director Tarsem Singh brings his usual control over splendid visuals and wonderous imagery to the table in Mirror, Mirror. It must be said that the sets are spectacular to look at and the costume design is simply breathtaking in its extravagance. Yet visuals and style are not enough to make Mirror, Mirror a film of originality or power. The jaunty tone of the film is something of a double-edged sword; in certain instances the anachronistic approach works excellently and allows for a lot of laughs. But other times it spills over into the realms of juvenile ridiculousness that is just too unbelievable to take seriously. Just like Into the Woods, I didn’t mind the occasional bending of classic stories. As a matter of fact, many of these switch ups where quite enjoyable, particularly making the seven dwarfs bandits. But at times, Mirror, Mirror just strayed too far over the line of keeping it classic but with added twists that are needless. There’s just something missing here that I can’t put my finger on. The same can’t be said about the score which contributes lively glee and carefree spirit to the uneven film.

Thankfully most of the acting can rise above the flaws of the movie and be very enjoyable. Lily Collins possesses the porcelain beauty and winsome charm for Snow White, but manages to give her a plucky attitude later on and show that she is no mere damsel in distress. The character could have easily been the fawning and helpless princess we are used to seeing, but Collins radiates something different with her version of Snow White. Julia Roberts sinks her teeth into her role as the evil Queen, displaying her insecurity and catty remarks to others with the aplomb of a supreme bitch. Roberts is having a great time here and makes the most of the part, at least managing to give the audience something to laugh about during the course of the movie. The standout performance in Mirror, Mirror comes from Armie Hammer. I liked how he didn’t take himself to seriously here and how he gave Prince Alcott a goofball charm, a penchant for walking into trouble and a certain silliness. He is the prince of the narrative, but the fact that he isn’t the main hero and is often quite hapless in a fight was really funny to view. Nathan Lane is suitably hilarious as Brighton, the Queen’s lap dog who often finds himself in over his head but Sean Bean is wasted in the small role as Snow White’s father. I must give compliments to the actors playing the dwarfs as they really do have a great repertoire with each other and help give Mirror, Mirror some charm that it desperately needs.

So all in all, Mirror, Mirror is a visually dazzling and handsomely designed take on a fairy tale. But that’s all it really is, save for some impressive performances and tweaks to the traditional Snow White narrative.