Nightmare Alley: Another Excellent Old-Hollywood Genre Piece From Del Toro
Writer/director Guillermo Del Toro is back with another exquisite genre piece that casts an undeniable spell! Surprisingly supernatural free, Nightmare Alley finds del Toro taking on the seedy Noir with natural aplomb. Full of signature flourishes, excellent performances, and sublime sets/costumes, del Toro delivers his best effort since Pan’s Labyrinth.
When charismatic but down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) endears himself to clairvoyant Zeena (Toni Collette) and her has-been mentalist husband Pete (David Strathairn) at a traveling carnival, he crafts a golden ticket to success, using this newly acquired knowledge to grift the wealthy elite of 1940s New York society. With the virtuous Molly (Rooney Mara) loyally by his side, Stanton plots to con a dangerous tycoon (Richard Jenkins) with the aid of a mysterious psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett) who might be his most formidable opponent yet.
Whether it be an out-and-out fairytale, a gothic romance, a creature feature, or a graphic novel adaptation, Guillermo del Toro has always dealt with the supernatural in his work. Until now, that is. Nightmare Alley has all the del Toro hallmarks — an immaculate old Hollywood feel, extravagant set pieces, sharp costumes, commanding performances, tightly controlled direction, and a hearty dose of grotesque whimsy — but it’s notable for being the first del Toro film to eschew the supernatural entirely. Naturally, there’s a monster — there’s always a monster in a del Toro film — but Nightmare Alley takes a figurative, “Man (and a few women) as monster” approach, as opposed to a literal one.
Perhaps if you’re someone who thinks that a Guillermo del Toro film sans-supernatural and -monster elements makes for a blander experience, then you may be less keen on Nightmare Alley’s compellingly dark, dingy, and winding corridors — in fact, this could be many’s glaring criticism. However, from where we’re sitting, it couldn’t be further from the truth. For our money, Nightmare Alley is del Toro’s finest film since 2006’s Pan’s Labyrinth (which in our mind remains as the filmmaker’s most immaculate conception). Not only does it bring the beloved auteur into slightly new terrain, but it’s still every bit the del Toro film you expect it to be: an exquisitely constructed and tautly drawn genre piece that goes down smooth, pulp and all.
Based off the 1946 novel of the same name by William Lindsay Gresham (which was also previously adapted to screen in 1947 with Tyrone Power in the starring role), Nightmare Alley tells the story of dark, yet charming young drifter named Stanton "Stan" Carlisle (played with immense charisma by Bradley Cooper) with a mysteriously troubled past. Essentially divided into two sections, the first takes place at a carnival, where Stan finds employment and quickly learns the many ways the carnies’ grift their patrons, and the second finds Stan taking his newly acquired skills — along with his ever-growing greed — into high society, which inevitably leads him into trouble. Part of the film’s charm is how it lets us in on the carnival’s schemes and sleight of hand, but there’s also joy in trying to decipher Stan’s enigmatic past and guessing how everything might play out.
In typical Noir fashion, Fate — along with themes of daddy issues and religion/the spiritual — hang over the proceedings and slowly but surely begin to close in on our anti-hero. You know things won’t work out for Stan, but it takes awhile before you’re able to get a read on just exactly where things are headed. At a point, you can see precisely where Nightmare Alley is going to land (with the title, perhaps, being too much of a tell) — but this isn’t a slight. It has, hands down, one of the year’s best endings, thick in irony, hilarity, and sadness. It winds up exactly where it needs to, with everything coming full circle in a very satisfying and devastating way.
The script, which was co-written by del Toro and Kim Morgan, is incredibly well-written, engrossing and precisely measured (but not irritatingly so). In particular, the dialogue is excellent and every character — big or small — is substantive and has a pivotal and propulsive place in the narrative. The cast, which includes Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Richard Jenkins, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, and David Strathairn (amongst others), is seriously impressive, and their performances do not disappoint — not a one. Out of the bunch, it’s Cooper and Blanchett that shine the brightest, so much so that they almost burn up the screen whenever they share it. They’re both likely to pull down a nomination for their work here, but it’s the film’s top-tier production design that is guaranteed to take the win come Oscar time. Cinematographer (and frequent del Toro collaborator) Dan Laustsen also does a fine job with the film’s visuals and subtly peppers in some much appreciated details, like the carnival’s ominous clouds that consistently hang overhead and hint at the storm to come.
Overall, Nightmare Alley is an impeccably crafted film that finds del Toro near the top of his game. It’s about greed and secrets and the inescapability of fate; it’s about playing with fire and getting burned, how the power hungry sometimes just wind up hungry, and what it means to truly be a “geek.” Compellingly twisty, appropriately pulp-stained, and pockmarked with brutal spats of signature del Toro violence, Nightmare Alley marks another win for the veteran filmmaker and boasts his greatest ensemble cast to date.
Recommendation: If you’re a fan of Guillermo del Toro, or if you just want to to stay current on what is sure to be an Oscar nominee in many respects, definitely give Nightmare Alley a go! In our opinion, it’s one of del Toro’s best films.
Rating: 5 house fires outta 5.
Eager for more?! Check out the link below:
The Shape Of Water review
The Witches (2020) review
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!