NIGHTMARE ALLEY
2021 | Dir. Guillermo del Toro | 150 Minutes
"It's not much, but it's a job, right? Of course, it's only temporary, just until we get a real geek."
A charismatic phony psychic with a shady past and a beautiful amoral big city psychiatrist hatch a scheme to scam an incredibly wealthy but also incredibly dangerous man.
The second film adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham's pulpy 1946 novel of the same name, Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley examines the fine line between swindlers and the swindled. Thematically rich, the film can be neatly divided into two parts: its first half is focused on the morally questionable lives of carnival workers both born from and sustaining off of desperation as the dodgy protagonist learns the ins and outs of the profession, its second half a thriller that tracks the depraved lengths the conman would go to fool others and, more tragically, to fool himself. The feature essentially presents two worlds, a grimy filthy existence and a life of glamorous luxury, but demonstrates that both can be just as rotten and corrupt when manipulated by self-serving people.
A mesmerizing spectacle throughout, Guillermo del Toro's customary meticulous attention to detail and admiration for the misfits of society serves his distinctive cinematic take on Nightmare Alley particularly well. The various carnival sets are designed with as much thought and craftsmanship as the aesthetically pleasing art deco skyscrapers and stately manors featured in the film. The shadowy cinematography is stunning, evocative of the very best film noirs of the past without lifting the iconography wholesale.
In the lead role, Bradley Cooper turns in a masterful performance that is convincingly detestable and pathetic often at the same time. The final shot of the film is particularly emotionally disquieting and all of the credit for its effectiveness belongs to Cooper. Cate Blanchett is the perfect femme fatale playing the corrupt psychiatrist, exuding high confidence and questionable vulnerability. The stacked supporting cast also features Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, Toni Collette, David Strathairn, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins, and Tim Blake Nelson in memorable roles.
A tragedy that unfolds with a compelling sense of inevitability, Nightmare Alley is an unsettling but thoroughly captivating noir thriller. Known for telling stories of supernatural creatures, in fitting with the true monsters of all of his films, Guillermo del Toro's monsters in this picture are all too human. From start to finish, the feature shows its audience the complete origin of such a pitiful beast.
FRAGMENTS
- Bradley Cooper also has a brief but memorable supporting role in 2022 Best Picture Nominee Licorice Pizza
- Cate Blanchett and Ron Perlman also appear in 2022 Best Picture Oscar Nominee Don't Look Up
- According to Guillermo del Toro, though he expected to shoot as many takes as necessary to perfect the final shot of the film, Bradley Cooper's first take was perfect
MCU CONNECTIONS
- Tim Blake Nelson (Samuel Sterns in The Incredible Hulk)
- Bradley Cooper (Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)
- Cate Blanchett (Hela in Thor: Ragnarok)
- Willem Dafoe (Norman Osborn in Spider-Man: No Way Home)
