Nightmare Alley (2021 | USA | 150 minutes | Guillermo del Toro)
Even as it may not see the director make use of monsters or creatures, Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley is characteristically strong work from the auteur that revels in the darkness of its noir origins. Often challenging and drawn out, it isn’t likely to win over any new admirers though it still provides much to chew on as the actors themselves also chew up every scene.
A remake of the brilliant 1947 Edmund Goulding film of the same name, this story takes the material in more garish and brutal directions to become a distinct vision all its own. The narrative beats are largely the same as it follows the con man Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) who is running from his past that went up in flames in the film’s harrowing opening scene.
As he rises from the world of a seedy traveling carnival to the glitzy nightclubs of Chicago, he masters a psychic act that will soon consume his life as it brings him wealth and acclaim. Known as “The Great Stanton,” he performs with his assistant and wife Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara). His success draws the skeptical attention of psychotherapist Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett) who brings him a new offer that will tempt him into risking everything and crossing a line from which he can never return.
Although the film has none of the inventive creature design that many look forward to in del Toro films, it is Stanton himself that becomes the monster of his own story. Cooper is completely convincing as a charismatic yet slimy man who just keeps grasping for more. He is totally motivated by his own greed and, as he sets himself on increasingly destructive paths, it becomes clear that he threatens to bring about his own doom.
What makes it all work is how del Toro envelopes you in an atmosphere that ensures the film never loses its momentum. His direction and visual mastery makes for some truly stunning moments that create a sense of awe underneath the horror. Even over the lengthy runtime of two and a half hours, the vibrant story feels alive in every way that the director is known for. It is in the little details from a balloon floating away to a house being completely devoured by a fire where the film lures you in. There is a beauty to the bleakness of the world.
The grimy carnival is populated by characters in the truest sense of the word. There is Toni Collette’s graceful Zeena the seer, Willem Dafoe’s grizzled Clem Hoatley who runs a cruel ‘freakshow,’ Ron Perlman’s brutish strongman Bruno, and David Strathairn’s alcoholic mentalist Pete. All of these supporting players give the traveling spectacle a real sense of texture with each moment proving to be a treat. However, one performance truly stands above them all.
From the moment Cate Blanchett makes her entrance, she completely captures the film’s attention and never lets it go. As Dr. Ritter and Stanton circle each other, Blanchett proves herself a worthy balancing force to Cooper. Both share many scenes in smoke-filled rooms where they go back and forth. Even as they form a tentative alliance, it is Ritter who feels like she is in control even as Stanton may not know it. Blanchett brings a presence that is unrivaled and intoxicating. Her character fits in perfectly and elevates the story to new heights especially in the later act of the film.
To some degree the film abandons subtlety in favor of shock. Whereas the original left an indelible impact without the use of gore, this remake fully indulges painful moments with explosive and graphic violence. However, even as it may catch you off guard, the brutality fits with the rest of the story’s overall mood. The film began with Stanton running from death and similarly ends with him doing so yet again, a fittingly cyclical narrative arc that pulls no punches. It is not entirely surprising, I caught myself predicting key developments, though the heavy foreshadowing does not undermine it. Rather, the fact that Stanton’s fate was foretold in an early scene with a member of the carnival makes it all the more tragic that he fell into a trap of his own creation.
You can watch Nightmare Alley at SIFF on December 15th and in general theaters starting December 17th.