Nightmare Alley (2021) User Reviews

Captures the feel of film noir but not the zip

[cherold · 6/10 · 13 February 2022]

I liked Nightmare Alley at first. It's visually gorgeous and pulls you in with its ambience and bits of mystery. But at a certain point, where what I'd call the "second act" begins, I looked to see how much was left of the movie, thinking it was about the time in a noir when things really get going like a runaway freight train, and realized it was only half over!

I felt pretty restless at that point, in spite of Cate Blanchett's pitch-perfect performance. It wasn't so much that less time should have been used up in the first act as that every single thing should have been shorter. This should have had the brisk quality of classic noir, instead of the slow boil noir here.

The movie does finally go into runaway freight train mode almost two hours in, and that last part is intense and gripping and everything you'd want it to be, but really this whole movie should have been 90-100 minutes and a good finale doesn't erase the boredom I'd felt for most of the previous hour.

Del Toro's a terrific director, the movie looks amazing, and Blanchett is phenomenal, so I won't say skip it. I will say, lower your expectations and don't count on something worthy of the best picture Oscar nomination this got.

Nightmare Alley Is Great Visually But Suffers From Slow Pacing And A Long Run Time

[garethvk · 7/10 · 2 December 2021]

Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper); is a man trying to get by in late 1930s America in the new film "Nightmare Alley". Our first introduction to Stanton is less than flattering and he soon finds himself employed at a Carnival after coming upon it by chance.

The eager Stanton is given advice and tools of the trade by his boss Clem (Willem Dafoe) as well as the mystic Zeena (Toni Collette) and Stanton eagerly wants to get ahead. While striking a friendship with fellow employee Molly (Rooney Mara); Stanton learns that Zeena's older and alcoholic husband has a skill from a former act where he learns to read people and use verbal cues to appear to have the power of clairvoyance.

Eventually, Stanton seeks bigger opportunities and leaves with Molly for the city where they in time develop a successful act that offers them two shows a night at a fancy hotel and some of the finer things in life.

Unwilling to be content with what he has; Stanton becomes involved with a Psychologist named Lilith (Cate Blanchett) and uses her knowledge to set up higher-profile marks who will pay well for his supposed abilities and in doing so; sets a dangerous chain of events into motion.

The film is based on the 1946 book of the same name and an earlier 1947 film, and while it does an amazing job with the visuals and moody atmosphere of the era; it is a very long and slowly-paced film. The movie is over 2.5 hours long and comes across as overly long and self-indulgent as Director Guillermo del Toro could easily have shaved 30-45 minutes from the film and told the story without losing much.

The cast and performances are very good but a slow-paced and dour film is not an ideal way to spend 2.5 hours at the movies no matter how much it has going for it. The movie does have some good points but I think it will do much better on streaming and home video where audiences can pause and take a break.

If you are a fan of the Noir style of old; then this may be just what you are looking for, but I think it should have been so much more.

3.5 stars out of 5.

Guillermo del Toro looks at hubris

[lee_eisenberg · 8/10 · 17 February 2022]

Over the past thirty years, Guillermo del Toro has directed some of the most haunting movies: "Cronos", "Mimic", "The Devil's Backbone", "Pan's Labyrinth" and "The Shape of Water". He now adds "Nightmare Alley", a disturbing look at a man's overconfidence.

Bradley Cooper plays a man who joins a traveling carnival but begins letting his belief in his own abilities get the better of him, especially after he starts associating with a morally ambiguous psychologist. Cate Blanchett's performance as the psychologist is what makes the movie, in my opinion. That and the production design create one of the most mind-blowing things that you'll ever see; it certainly earned its Academy Award nomination for production design.

I don't know if I would call this the year's best movie, but it's one of the most impressive. Along with Cooper and Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, David Strathairn, Mary Steenburgen, Ron Perlman, Richard Jenkins and a host of other people put on splendid performances. You should definitely check this movie out.

You're Not As Smart As You Think

[boblipton · 7/10 · 1 January 2022]

Bradley Cooper burns down a house, then hops a rattler to a carnival someplace. Mostly keeping his mouth shut, he learns how to do a mentalist and spook act from David Strathairn, while boffing Strathairn's girlfriend Toni Collette and lusting for electric girl Rooney Mara. Strathairn croaks from bad booze Cooper gave him by mistake, he and Miss Mara shuffle off to Buffalo, where they do a mentalist act and, at the behest of psychiatrist Cate Blanchett he communicates with the dead for the rich and powerful.

It's based, like the 1947 flop starring Tyrone Power, on William Lindsay Gresham's novel. It's a much more accurate telling of the story, not only for the stuff the Hays Office made them leave out, but the shocker of the ending. The visuals, as you would expect from director Guillermo del Toro, are impeccable, from the ghastly exhibits at the side shows, to the Biedermeyer decor of Doctor Blanchett's office -- clearly she studied in Vienna. Location shooting in Buffalo and nearby cities help. The color palette looks like late 1940s Fox Dramatic Technicolor: LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN.

If there is a problem with this 150-minute movie, it's that it's edited too short. The first half, set at the carny, seems leisurely enough, until everything reappears at the end, showing it was all foreshadowing. The Buffalo sequence is edited so tightly that you can't figure out Miss Blanchett's motives, and the ending feels rushed. But I stayed through to the end, with nary a bathroom break, despite the urge.

Haunting, if somewhat meandering.

[benjaminskylerhill · 7/10 · 17 December 2021]

Like all of Del Toro's films, Nightmare Alley is a visual feast. The production design and cinematography transported me into his grim and glossy dystopian vision.

Also, the acting is some of the best I've seen in one of Del Toro's movies. Bradley Cooper gives perhaps his finest performance, and he sells every unsettling moment of this horrifying cautionary tale as his character is consumed by the consequences of his pride.

The best moments in this story really are some of the best scenes of the year, and they will stick with me for some time to come.

The film's biggest weakness is it's obviously bloated runtime. The second act really meanders and focuses on romantic subplots without giving us reasons to believe that the characters fall in love. A great deal of material should have been either explored more or cut altogether. As it stands, the center of this story is woefully half-baked.

Still, the production design and performances alone make this worth checking out. It really is something to behold.

it's only temporary

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 13 December 2021]

Greetings again from the darkness. Fans of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro anxiously await his new projects knowing full well that each will have a stylish atmosphere, a certain fantastical creepiness, and characters a bit outside the norm (whatever normal is these days). Beyond that, the mystique derives from whatever new approach the extraordinarily talented filmmaker will surprise us with this time. For his first follow-up to his Oscar winning THE SHAPE OF WATER (2017), del Toro and co-writer Kim Morgan have adapted the 1947 cult noir classic by director Edmund Goulding (starring Tyrone Power), which itself was adapted from William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel.

Bradley Cooper (an 8 time Oscar nominee) stars as Stan Carlisle in what is a terrific opening sequence. We witness Stan leaving his past in ashes, then catching the first ride out of town, until he steps off and follows a dwarf into the heart of a carnival where sideshows and freaks are the attraction. Through this progression, Stan utters nary a word for quite an extended period. Soon enough, Stan has become part of the fabric of the carnival, thanks to Clem Hoatley (Willem Dafoe) giving him a job, and mentalist Zeena (Toni Collette) giving him more than that. Stan is a quick study and takes in Clem's history of "the geek", and more importantly, he absorbs all secrets and the code from the telepathy show Zeena and her alcoholic husband Pete (David Strathairn) constructed. They not only pass along their trade secrets, but also a warning to avoid "spook shows", which involves bringing up the dead for audience members.

Stan takes to the con quite naturally, and soon he is teaming with 'electric girl' Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara) to fine-tune their own psychic shows. Their relationship grows and within a few years, the two are performing at swanky hotels for high-society audience. It's at this point where the movie transitions abruptly from the raunchy carnival setting with tattered tent flaps, floors of hay, and freaks and gadgets, to stunningly sleek Art Deco, fancy dress, and fancier words. One evening, Stan battles wits with an audience member, and his life path is altered again. Dr. Lilith Ritter (Oscar winner Cate Blanchett) is a psychologist who stays a step ahead of Stan, though he never realizes she has drawn him into her scheme, leading him to believe they are working together.

For those who have not seen the 1947 film, you won't know that the central idea that folks need to believe in something is minimized, while Cooper's differing approach to the role will not matter. However, for fans of the earlier film, it seems clear his intentions are less sinister, and he merely views his new skill as a path to wealth. Additionally, his aversion to alcohol too obviously foretells a role in his ultimate downfall. Ms. Blanchett relishes her role as a most intelligent noir femme fatale, and at times, simply overpowers Cooper in their scenes ... although these scenes are gorgeous. This cast is absurdly talented and deep, and also includes Richard Jenkins, (Oscar winner) Mary Steenburgen, Holt McCallany, Clifton Collins Jr, Tim Blake Nelson, Jim Beaver, Mark Povinelli, Ron Perlman, and Peter MacNeil. Mr. Cooper and Ms. Blanchett are the featured performers, although my preference would have been more Dafoe and Collette.

Perhaps the real stars of the film are the technical team members: Production Designer Tamara Deverell, Art Director Brandt Gordon, Set Director Shane Vileau, and Costume Designer Luis Sequeira. In fact, one of Ms. Blanchett's dresses is designed cleverly for one scene which reveals something from Lilith's past. It's rare for a film to offer two such contrasting and brilliant looks as what we see here with the carnival in the first half, and the Art Deco of the second. Nathan Johnson's music is a good fit, especially for the first half.

Surprisingly, it seems as filmmaker del Toro has softened the edges of the characters and story for a more accessible film, though it still features less-than-admirable human beings. It lacks the final packaging regarding the reason the pieces are all related, and we never experience the nerve-jarring intensity of a true noir, though that final scene with Cooper and Tim Blake Nelson is stellar. The director seems to love the shadowy look and feel of the carnival and characters, and not so much the glossy bits of the second half. Still, how good is a filmmaker when one that is not his best work, is still at a level many filmmakers can only dream of? The letdown is like the "geek" job ... it's only temporary.

Opening in theaters on December 17, 2021.

Overall a good movie, slowly paced but it stays with you

[the_donnie · 8/10 · 17 December 2021]

Great cinematography, acting, and well built story. A bit slow and somehow predictable, however worth it the time and the story and characters stay with you after leaving the theater.

With Guillermo Del Toro At Helm, More Was Expected

[CinemaClown · 2 February 2022]

From the filmmaker who's always looked for beauty in the grotesque and whose fascination with horror, fantasy, fairy tales & monsters knows no bounds, Nightmare Alley marks quite a departure from his earlier works. While the story features a dark premise and the imagery is infused with gothic flavours, it plays out like a straightforward neo-noir psychological thriller and is devoid of the supernatural.

Co-written & directed by Guillermo del Toro (Pacific Rim & The Shape of Water), the first act does create an intrigue & mystery about our protagonist and what he may be up to but once the story departs from the carnival setting, the interest does start to fizzle out as it becomes evident where it's headed & how it's going to play out. It isn't necessarily a complaint but for a director of del Toro's calibre, more was expected here.

On the technical front, the film scores high marks with its sumptuous production design that brings its period setting to life in splendid detail. Deft camerawork & amber lighting also add to its noirish tone and the decadent score enriches it some more. Performances are where it delivers the most valuable goods. Bradley Cooper is committed throughout, plus his act only gets better as plot progresses and he is strongly supported by the rest.

Overall, Nightmare Alley is a perfectly fine example of its genre and will keep most viewers invested in its proceedings with its rich production value & impressive acting. However, the characters still remain distant for some reason and the story as a whole feels more or less underwhelming in the end. To sum it up, Guillermo del Toro's latest offering isn't without its charms and has a few neat tricks up its sleeve but nothing about it is original or refreshing.

Gorgeous to look at but the original is better.

[MOscarbradley · 7/10 · 26 March 2022]

Edmund Goulding's 1947 film "Nightmare Alley" is one of my all-time favourite noirs and it's the film in which Tyrone Power certainly gave his finest performance. Of course, not having read William Lindsay Gresham's original novel I can't say how faithfully it stuck to its source material any more than I can say that this Guillermo del Toro remake, clocking in at 40 minutes longer than the first film, is a faithful adaptation. I did expect del Toro's version to be more 'explicit' than Goulding's but would it capture the seedy vibe of the deliciously unpleasant 1947 classic or would this simply look like a 21st century over-art-directed period piece?

The good news is, that in typical del Toro fashion, it looks great and the period detail is perfectly captured without seeming overdone and it's also brilliantly cast. Bradley Cooper is a lot less appealing than Power as the carny with a dubious past and an uncertain future, which is just as it should be, while as the three women who impact on his life, Toni Collette, Rooney Mara and especially Cate Blanchett are all excellent and there's first-rate work from Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins and, walking off with the picture, David Strathairn.

The bad news is del Toro certainly drags it out. This is definitely a movie that could do with some trimming and worse, apparently there's an even longer director's cut out there somewhere. It's a good yarn and it's well told and as remakes go, it's a cut above but it won't supplant Goulding's classic in my affections nor does it approach "The Shape of Water" in del Toro's canon.

Slow Burn with Great Characters and a Big Pay-off

[jamesreilman · 9/10 · 3 December 2021]

The film's direction and performances are really strong. I was impressed by every performance and individual character and the overall plot was tight. A dark film-noir-ish movie centered around a 1930s carnival has a strong premise and initial material it's based on (book and film). It's overall dark and leaves a strong impression.

I thought Bradley Cooper at times reminded me of a Humphrey Bogart character, Cate Blanchett was phenomenal and powerful, and Rooney Mara was also strong, self-sufficient, and alluring at the same time. Beautiful progression leading to a strong pay-off and resolution.

Polished noir that becomes a tad sluggish

[PotassiumMan · 7/10 · 19 December 2021]

Bradley Cooper stars in Guillermo del Toro's remake of this story about an impoverished drifter who happens upon a carnival geek show. From there, he learns various magic tricks and creates an act of illusion that he takes to the city. Thereafter, he encounters more than he anticipated. Rooney Mara is his love interest and fellow circus performer, Willem Dafoe is lively and animated as the amoral carnival owner and Cate Blanchett is a mysterious psychiatrist with whom Cooper's protagonist crosses paths. Richard Jenkins is excellent as a rich tycoon with an immoral past.

Cooper gives a multi-dimensional performance that helps carry the film and he gets plenty of help; this film noir boasts a formidable acting lineup, stunning period detail and is handsomely shot, however its overall impact is greatly dulled by a running time that is way too long. Although it starts strong with an ominous first chapter and has quite a hauntingly bleak conclusion, somewhere in between the narrative loses its bite and thus ends it potential for greatness.

In addition to being overlong, Del Toro's work feels claustrophobic, a problem that his earlier films have been able to overcome more effectively. Overall, a film that could have been a masterpiece if it had spent more time in the cutting room. Some gruesomely violent scenes should be forewarned about. That being said, the film's final frame still lingers on. Recommended to viewers with patience and a strong stomach.

Great movie, 100% immersive

[garisdalampiras · 9/10 · 19 February 2022]

This one was a great movie. You get sucked in the world from the start. I thought the acting was top notch. Fantastic noir film that will not dissapoint. Fantastic ending.

Wehn there are no fanboys to ruin the ratings,you get around a score that is more reflective of what the film actually is.

This one diserves a little more that the 7.2 currently.

The Great American Tragedy...an existential portrait of a man in crisis...or just a rags-to-riches-to-rags story?

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 18 December 2021]

William Lindsay Gresham's novel gets a second noir screen treatment following the 1947-Tyrone Power version about a self-described hustler in the 1930s who drifts into a traveling freak-show carnival after literally setting his past ablaze. The film has been crafted with style by director Guillermo del Toro (who also co-produced and co-wrote the screenplay-adaptation with Kim Morgan), but it is in no way a profound work--it's all flash. Many will no doubt add their lofty labels to the picture, but I saw it more simply: a rags-to-riches-to-rags melodrama, with a circular finish that didn't sneak up on me or shock me (it plays flatly). Bradley Cooper is solid in the lead role; it isn't a knockout performance, but then I'm not sure either del Toro or Cooper (who also co-produced) meant it to be. Cooper's Stanton Carlisle is, basically, a jerk--an opportunist who seems oblivious of his actions (which is just how Tyrone Power played him in the original). When one of the carnies dies of wood alcohol poisoning--from a bottle given to him by Carlisle, who had to sneak around to get it--we're not sure if this was intentional or a mistake or an act of mercy (the screenplay tries to have it all three ways). Carlisle is haunted--but is it by guilt...remorse...regret? He's an enigma, and a lot of moviegoers will have fun trying to figure him out. Two years after leaving the carnival, wherein he took a hopeful young woman he had emboldened with him, Carlisle has come up with a mind-reading act that he performs with his wife in fancy supper clubs; this is where he comes across Cate Blanchett as a poison-beauty psychologist (and we hardly needed to see Stanton's treacherous tarot card reading to understand she will lead to his downfall). "Nightmare Alley" has a striking Art Deco and snow-swept design that is giddily beautiful--you can enjoy the film purely on visual terms--but the story gives up on itself at a crucial point in the picture. Yes, everything has to go wrong--that's the trap of the "Nightmare"--but the actions of the characters (particularly Rooney Mara's good-girl, Molly) are infuriatingly stupid. Why everyone suddenly has to become hysterical and the plot to lose its logic to get us to that ending is beyond me. It felt like a slap in the face to see the house of cards come down this way. I'm sure all the talents involved thought they were giving us a delicious, twisty plot that would also make us think, but when the people we've been watching and have become absorbed by start acting foolish just to push things along, I sense a calculated and mechanical process behind the imagery. Is the film worth-watching? I would say yes, it's above-average, but it leaves one feeling bitter and used, and I'm not sure if or why del Toro was aiming for such a response. It's a fever dream, but the details don't add up and the action stops making sense. I wanted to feel exhilarated by the protagonist's comeuppance, but the filmmaker apparently wants our sympathies too and it doesn't wash. **1/2 from ****

Dull and Dramatically Inert

[evanston_dad · 5/10 · 2 February 2022]

I'm not a fan of the 1940s film noir version of "Nightmare Alley" starring Tyrone Power, so I was all in for a new crack at the material, even if there is a "huh?...why now?" element to the timing. But Guillermo Del Toro doesn't have much more luck with the material than the original and has made a bloated, artificial, and curiously inert movie out of it.

The film looks gorgeous, let's get that out of the way. But it almost looks too gorgeous, like a a glossy magazine spread. The settings feel too stylized and artificial, as do all of the performances. Bradley Cooper isn't that great of an actor in my opinion, and he's not able to make a fairly one-note character very compelling. Rooney Mara is wasted window dressing. Cate Blanchett is the only person who got the memo that this is film noir material, and she plays her character to the hilt as a classic femme fatale. The problem is she's the only one who does, so her performance, while it's the most entertaining, feels cartoonish and like it should be in another movie. The film is also way too long for the slim plot. This is something that could have made a tight, tense, little 90-minute thriller but feels like something stretched by a director who doesn't know when to quit.

And what is with Del Toro's obsession with throwing in such graphically violent scenes at the end of a movie that up to that point hasn't been graphic at all? Is it to shock us with the contrast? Because it pulls me out of the world of the movie. He has a fetish with showing people's faces literally caved in in gory detail, something he indulged in "Pan's Labyrinth" and again here.

This movie is a misfire.

Grade: C+

Ugh, such a long, slow, dragged out and un-rewardingly boring film.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 6/10 · 22 March 2022]

This is one of del Toro's worst films to date. It was way too long, stuffed with endless muddled filler, and for what little (underwhelming) substance there was, the slow pacing made it that much more unrewarding. I kept waiting for the convolution to end, and to start seeing some cohesive and suspenseful storytelling. But nope, just slow ongoing melodramatic boredom - for a ridiculously long 150 mins. The only thing this film had going for it, was the all-star cast and their excellent performances, as well as the great cinematography and outstanding sets, wardrobes, and stunning visuals. It's a 6/10 from me.

Long run time and boring pacing can ruin this Neo noir thriller.

[cruise01 · 6/10 · 29 December 2021]

3 out of 5 stars.

Nightmare Alley is a fair psychological thriller film that may not be Guillermo del Toro best film. It does have a neo noir direction and a story of a carny getting mixed up with a psychiatrist that may not be who she seems and him pretending to be a medium. Decent plot. The script and direction is slow and boring. The cast ensemble is good with great performances led by Bradley Cooper. The film is quite forgettable.

Down This Alley Is A Dream Of Visuals, But A Nightmare of Pacing

[rgkarim · 7/10 · 17 December 2021]

LIKES

The Classy Dialogue: This movie's plot takes place in the 1940s, a different time of talking, culture, and survival instincts that we only can get a glimpse through storytelling. Nightmare Alley manages to help grab the class associated with the high society of the times and how one must speak in the line of Stanton's work. It's an art to designing the lines of not only the past, but also of the high profile of these characters and they did a marvelous job with executing the mannerisms and terminology required to bring the world to full light. It may seem small, but somehow that manner of speaking is a core component to the characters and helps set a lot of the mood for the climactic points of the movie.

The Setting: For a movie all about the dark entrances of the human psyche and manipulation, one has to set the stage for the "hero" to play in. Nightmare Alley accomplishes the goal for me on taking us back into the past where the carnival was a key element of life for entertaining the imaginations of the people. The setting in all acts is beautiful, attention to detail laced in the historical settings of the carnival and the niche that it provided for those down on their lucks. From the visualization of the under stages, to the harsh reality of life during the nights in those tents, you really become immersed in the microecosystem that carnivals were. Eventually the second act sets a new stage and again, the immaculate design of the buildings is gorgeous in the architecture that was once used during those times. The furniture, the clothing, and heck even the radios that were key to entertainment, all hold that antiquated appearance and help pull you into the deceitful world of Stanton's art.

The Acting: Again, a wonderful performance by many of the casted characters, and truly one of the hardest lifters of the tale. Nightmare Alley's star is of course Bradley Cooper, who manages to give another quality performance in the tragic case of Stanton Carlisle. Cooper has seemed to master the art of playing a convoluted character, a realistic human who gets placed into many opportunities and has to make a choice as to what path he will take. That evolution of the character into what he becomes seems to be easy for him, and he does a great job of giving all the emotional running required of him, really being the anchoring point of cast of characters. Cate Blanchett is back in a comfortable role for her, one of elegance, charm, and that dark class of something brewing within her that she sells so naturally. Blanchett's usual anti-hero demeanor from previous works fit very well int his tale, and alongside a wonderful look in the fashions of the time, she fit comfortably in her character. For Collette, the woman seems to have a niche with the darker tales, and this role can be described as Hereditary's bizarre belief with the realistic touch she had in Knives Out. I quite enjoyed her character's inclusion in this movie, a potential piece that held so much sway over Stanton's character, but not in the political way we see movies, but more of a natural character who was just living life. Colette's investment in making such a run of the mill character really stand out without the cheese factor, is something I applaud her for and only wished we had gotten more time with her during the second act. Yet another actress who should get top billing is Rooney Mara, the wonderful actress was hands down my favorite character of the film, who danced with Stanton through much and again had her own changes taxing her moral compass. Mara's work at being subtle and just living life through her character is stunning, and I loved that they utilized her natural beauty and grace in a role that was not extreme in either aspect. Again, I would have liked more time with her, but what time she does have paints the more angelic nature of the film for those who like a little light in their darkness.

The Story Planning: I have not seen the original, nor read any material it is based on, however for a movie by itself, this reviewer appreciates the wonderful planning involved in the detail. Like a lower key Ocean's 11, Nightmare Alley manages to give you a tale that shows just how Stanton became the person he became and uses a few styles that match what a first rate novel accomplishes. The first act is all about him learning the trade and the relationships he formed, while the second is all about the trade's application and how he made it his own, with many pieces explained and smoothly interspersed to make a linear tale easy to follow. Meanwhile, the pasts of many of our characters are baked in as well, sometimes in the form of a flashback, and other times naturally thrown into the conversation for us to pick up on. The writers of the book and screenplay managed to marry both worlds well and I quite enjoyed the level of writing the movie held.

The Visuals: We are not talking about the setting or costumes in this moment, but instead the camera and lighting that del Toro has integrated into his vision of the story. As always, the man plays with darker tales of humanity and his visuals also seem to dance around with these concepts as he brings the psyche part to life. From the eerie colors and ominous grey filter set over the moments of the carnival, to the polished and naturally lighting that other buildings bring, the lighting almost tells the tale better than the acting at times. And when key moments arise, he manages to get the right shot and lighting pallet to unleash the full momentum of the scene and give you the emotional kick that you just never knew you needed.

DISLIKES:

The Predictability: Despite all the elevation of the dialogue and the class, the tale was very predictable for me, lacking little twists and turns. The foreshadowing makes the direction so obvious, including the ending that I had down by the last thirty minutes of the movie. I had hoped for a little more of that del Toro intervention to help get that awe factor into the film, but that may have deterred from the source material too much.

More Time With Other Characters: This is a film about one man's dive into the "mental reading" components that were famous in the 1900s and they indeed do accomplish that task. Yet, there are several characters I would have liked more time in their perspective or more working with them than what we got. Toni Collette is of course the first one I mentioned earlier, and given the alluring character she played, I was hoping for some more time in her work with Cooper given the chemistry they were showing. While they did use her to great potential, I feel there was more that she did and hated seeing it cut out for all the other tales in this film. Mara as well could have had some more moments from her perspective, minor given how much he was ingrained in the second act, but still something was missing to fully link the bricks and drop the hammer on the tale. Yet, the biggest disappointment for me was Blanchett's use in this movie. For someone with top billing and the synopsis plot being there, she really is not the most utilized of the bunch for me and was surprised there was not more done with the power house of an actress that she is. I'll give them the scenes they invested held the power and mind games promised, but she was very much an accessory, with limited time on her shots happening from the shadows more than really investing into the moment. Quite disappointing to be honest and I would have liked to see more of her involvement on screen than off, especially with how fast the ending occurred. Speaking of which

The Pacing: Hands down the worst element of the movie for me is the pacing, particularly how slow the movie feels as time drags on. In the first act, it is not so bad, merely stuck in a few elements of time, but for the most part keeps things going in the study of the act. Sure, there are moments that are a little glazed over, or missing, but the tight focus on getting to the second act keeps it fine. It's that second act that really slogs through the mud, a convoluted mess of visits, walking through hallways, and these teases with Blanchett's character that slowly just circle to the obvious conclusion coming. It lacks the finesse of the carny scene, utilizes its characters to a weaker level, and by the final number has bored so much with the jargon I was starting to fight sleep to stay invested. Then the ending happens, and suddenly things are hastily sped through, and that full moment of the scene is sort of lost and underwhelming, ending on an artistic note that may not be as welcomed.

The VERDICT:

Nightmare Alley accomplishes much in the way it tells the story and the visualization of ta human nature tale with a slight "thriller" element to it. The writing is classy and layered to capture the high society and jargon of the time periods, with natural integration of story into human conversation. Acting wise, it holds a lot of fantas.

The most underrated movie of 2021.......

[owenpont-70803 · 10/10 · 5 April 2022]

This film was awesome. No one talks or watched this film. And I think people should. It had fantastic performances from numerous different people, of course the highlight being Bradley Cooper. And Guillermo del Toro did fantastic directing this movie. He gave it a creepy vibe but not to much where you thought it was a horror movie. Just enough where it was unsettling. Overall I highly recommend this to any movie lover, it is a fantastic movie that is massively underrated.

Handsome neo-noir thriller remake: lush design and talented cast with magician director. Fun for the holidays.

[JohnDeSando · 19 December 2021]

"Is it a beast, or is it a man? You're in luck, because tonight, you will see him feed! Come on in and find out. Is he a man... or beast?" Clem Hoatley (Willem Dafoe)

There's not much a filmmaker can do to destroy the interest audiences have remaking the film-noir genre: the corruptible good guy, the seductive femme fatale, the dark alleys, the glitzy gates to hell represented by carnival shows, murder, and morally-diseased humanity. All these are staples and of enduring appeal to audiences titillated by seeing the dark side.

Is there room for a better noir in remake? Case in point: Nightmare Alley-directed by a cinematic magician, Guillermo del Toro-adds a colorful canvas of sideshow splendor, occupied by Felliniesque carnies and specimens, taking money and goodness from gullible audiences, frequently rubes but occasionally swells who left their scruples back in their estates.

Bradley Cooper joins Bogey, Mitcham, and the many other actors who played flawed heroes like gifted grifter Stanton Carlisle. He joins the carnival to have a roof and food. He discovers his talent for illusion, be it sending electricity through his innocent assistant Molly (Rooney Mara) or bilking wealthy widowers like sinner Ezra Grindle (Richard Jenkins).

It is a joy to watch the charismatic lead descend into the hell of deceit by misdirection just as it is to see wealthy head Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchette) perform the femme fatale duties icy with class and charm. Together they fleece the wealthy so completely that some take to suicide after losing everything including their sanity.

Visually Nightmare Alley is a feast of colorful set design (it is a carnival after all) and perfectly modulated light to make you feel you are there at the beginning of WWII. The world is in turmoil for a beast who will murder millions. As Nightmare Alley shows, Hitler is not the only beast roaming who could as well be Stan, our man: "I am prepared to offer you folks one last chance to witness this supreme oddity. Where did it come from? ... gone wrong somehow in maternal womb. Not fit for living." Clem

Nightmare Alley is a pleasure to see and hear but a reminder that humankind's ability to foster evil is eternal, albeit fascinating.

worthy remake

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 13 February 2022]

Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) disposes a body by burning it inside an isolated farm house. He rides the bus to the end of the line and there, he finds a traveling circus owned by Clem Hoatley (Willem Dafoe). He joins the circus. Zeena the Seer (Toni Collette) is taken with him but he's more interested in Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara). He learns the tricks of the trade from Zeena and her drunken husband Pete. In time, he and Molly leave the circus. They become a successful seeing act and then Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett) challenges them.

I'm so dumb. It's not until the plot completes its loop when I realized that this is a remake and I already saw the 1947 version. Before then, I kept thinking that the movie would be better to stay in the circus. Like the original, the ending really packs a poetic punch. Director Guillermo del Toro's style cannot be denied. Cooper has his boyish charms. This is a worthy remake.

Mister, I was born for it!

[lukchabre · 8/10 · 15 February 2022]

First of all, I know this looks more like a synopsis than a review. It was not my intention but I felt it important to mention all the facts surrounding the story and its ending.

In this neo-noir readaptation of the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham, Guillermo del Toro presents the story of Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper). The movie starts with Stan finding work in a circus in the 1930s owned by a fella named Clem Hoatley (Willem Dafoe). Clem appears to be a well-meaning guy, except that he turns alcoholic men into his geeks, making them eat live chickens to earn money from people who are willing to pay for such acts. Stan is very disturbed at how low a man can sink when addicted to alcohol and opium.

As he becomes familiar with the circus life and learns some "mind-reading" techniques from Pete (David Strathairn), Stan believes he can make a fortune doing mentalistic art in Buffalo with Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara) as his assistant. Before Pete dies from alcohol abuse, he warns Stan not to pretend to connect with the hereafter, as it just leads to tragedy and hurts the person that is deceived. Pete explains from his own experience that the more you do the so-called "spook shows", the more you believe your own acts and therefore become "blind".

Two years later, things are working out for Stan and Molly in Buffalo, until their act is interrupted by psychologist Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), who attempts to expose their code system. Stan in self-defense reads Ritter and brings her dead mother into it, saving their act. After this, Stan is approached by a wealthy judge, who wants to connect with his dead son. Stan sees great money potential in these "spook shows" and decides to pursue them despite the warnings from Pete.

Lilith later invites Stan to her office for a coffee, since Stan never drinks alcohol. Stan persuades Lilith to give him information about her patients, allowing him to make a lot of money from the mentioned spook shows. Molly is not in favor of performing such shows and even tries to get away from Stan. Stan makes riches by connecting people with their dead relatives but is too blind to see that he is sinking deeper and deeper into dark places that will yet be hard to get out of.

Lillith Ritters turns out to be just a femme fatale, wanting revenge for the humiliation Stan caused her when he read her like a book and showed her weaknesses in front of other people. Stan ended up being shot in the ear, broke and he also started to drink. Penniless and addicted to alcohol, he is offered a "temporary" job in a circus. Even though he knows where it leads, he answers with a brave yet very saddening sentence: "Mister, I was born for it".

I love the connection between the beginning and the end, when Stan is looking at the geek, not knowing that he is looking at a mirror.

And now to the movie itself. I have to admit that I haven't seen the 1947 version but I like this one very much. I felt that the movie passed very fast, even with its runtime of 150 minutes. I know it's been mentioned many times, but Del Toro's visuals are just magnificent. Very pleasing to watch. Acting, in general, was good. Willem Dafoe got his share in the first half of the movie, while Cate Blanchett in the second. Bradley Cooper did an amazing job and I have always admired his ability to play a wide range of characters.

Overall I am satisfied with this movie and need to say that the money was well spent when I went to see it in a cinema. I definitely recommend you to give it a watch.

An overstuffed film with a bloated first act

[dmansel · 6/10 · 23 January 2022]

Nightmare Alley, a neo-noir thriller set in the late 1930s, is centered on Stanton Carlisle, an overly ambitious circus carny with a penchant for manipulating people through words. His games of deception leads him to cross paths with the dangerous Dr. Lilith Ritter, a psychiatrist who's equally manipulative and cunning in her own right. As Stan is drawn more into Lilith's world and Lilith into Stan's the boundaries between partners and adversaries are muddied.

Guillermo del Toro's eleventh film, Nightmare Alley proves yet again that his best work is done in period pieces. Adapting William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel, the film also afforded him the opportunity to tell a story with noir trappings, a dream of his. Fortunately, del Toro delivers in spades with the noir; there's enough cigarette smoking protagonists, femme fatales, and ulterior motives to make even Dashiell Hammett proud. Unfortunately, getting to these highlights takes far too long as the first act of the film lasts approximately an eternity setting up the carnival life, hinting at Stan Carlisle's mysterious past, and establishing the relationship between Carlisle and Molly Cahill. Del Toro's love of the darkly macabre and a peek behind the lens of the traveling circus (a setting rife with possibility for seediness) should've been a perfect combination for the veteran director to craft a story featuring his signature style and tone. What this leads to, however, is del Toro taking far too long to immerse the audience in this environment, leading to a self indulgent first act that almost stalls the film before it gains traction. Once Stan locks horns with Blanchett's Dr. Lilith Ritter, the film's entire tone shifts, and del Toro manages to build intrigue and suspense into the cat-and-mouse game between the two.

Starring Bradley Cooper, Nightmare Alley's theme of ambition vs greed is handled deftly by the Academy nominated actor. The backbone of the film, Cooper's Stan Carlisle is in almost every scene as the audience watches the ascension and downfall of a character who's past is hinted at, but never really explained. Cooper brings his usual charm and radiant blue eyes to every scene as he works to hustle everyone in his immediate vicinity. A product of survival, Stan's grasp just barely exceeds his reach and Cooper plays the fall better than he does the rise. Joining Stan in the journey to shuck as many people out of money as they can is Rooney Mara's Molly Cahill, a circus performer that joins Stan in his mindreading capers. Content to handle the workload they possess when the audiences catch up with them, Mara's Molly is more or less the audience's conduit into the film, recognizing the crumbling of the circumstances and the need to escape. Mara is magnificent in the role, transforming from innocent performer to cagey hustler with a knack for knowing when enough is enough.

Rounding out the main group of actors are Cate Blanchett as psychologist Dr. Lilith Ritter and Richard Jenkins as Ezra Grindle, the mark. Blacnhett's entrance into the film immediately provides it with a much needed breath of fresh air; as the viewer recognizes the imminent threat Ritter is to Stan and Molly, Nightmare Alley's shift in tone becomes exciting and palpable. Blanchett, someone rarely prone to turning in a bad performance, is the shining performer of Nightmare Alley. Wrapped in an air of mystery, contempt, and manipulation, Ritter is the very essence of film noir. While her overall motivations could've been made clearer, enough is communicated that viewers can enjoy the multitude of levels of Blanchett's performance to never quite be sure until the end whether or not she can be trusted. Richard Jenkins as Ezra Grindle, easily manipulated by his haunted past, is given little to do in the movie except play the vessel through which Stan, Molly, and Lilith carry out their schemes.

One of the rare outings where del Toro chooses to shy away from his signature supernatural or fantastical elements, Nightmare Alley mostly succeeds in the tone and environment he sets. The circus Stan finds himself a part of seems innocent enough: the members chat and eat and drink with each other like any community of like-minded individuals. Underneath all that, as Stan finds out quickly enough, lies the manipulation, the lies, and the bodies. The phrase cut to the chase applies here; were this first bit with the circus a good 20 to 30 minutes lesser, the audience would be presented with the real intrigue of the movie, the relationship between Stan and Dr. Ritter. As is usually the case with period piece films, the costuming, hair and makeup, and production design are all standouts of the film, presenting an engaging look at late 1930s America.

Overall, the positive aspects of Nightmare Alley just barely manage to tips the scales in its favor. An overstuffed film with a bloated first act, its 139 minute runtime could've been served with a heavy, judicious hand in the editing room. Bradley Cooper's chemistry with Cate Blanchett make for the film's steamiest scenes and what should've been the entire focus of the film from the outset. A movie that meanders and takes far too long to find its footing is saved by its final scene, telegraphed from miles away, yet incredibly satisfying nonetheless. A must for fans of del Toro, Nightmare Alley can be cautiously approached by all others. Nightmare Alley hits theaters December 17th.

Born to do it

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 26 January 2022]

Sometimes you just know ... maybe not consciously, but you just seem to know ... for better or worse. And Bradley Cooper (or rather his character) probably just knows ... but I am getting ahead of myself. The movie is a visual feast - I think everyone can agree with that. If you have seen at least one other movie from Del Toro, you already know that.

What I have not done (yet), is see the other Nightmare Alley movie that exists. I imagine that it is quite different than Del Toros version, but it may lead to the same place. So if I watch it, I will be aware of that ... and we're back to square one. No pun intended.

Great actors with great performances round the picture here - again no pun intended. Especially the lead role that some if not most viewers should have (or take) issues with. He takes his sweet time to talk ... but that is not even close to an issue I am refering to.

The ending is quite amazing - in a movie where you may have problems to root for any character in this ... it still will punch you where it hurts or at least will leave you stunned. Crazy times and crazy yet slightly funny anecdotes along the way ... I once was lost, but now I am ... well what am I? A good question and one that may get the right answer in this movie ...

Nightmare Alley

[jboothmillard · 7/10 · 30 January 2022]

I assumed from the trailer this was going to be some kind of scary movie, and perhaps a film that would be nominated in the upcoming Awards Season, whatever it was I couldn't wait to see it, produced and directed by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water). Basically, in 1939, somewhere in the Midwest, Stanton "Stan" Carlisle (Bradley Cooper, also producing) puts a wrapped dead body in a hole in the floor and burns down the house. He takes a job as a carny with a travelling circus. The carnival's geek (Paul Anderson) (a strange looking man that chases and eats live chickens, part of the freak show) becomes ill, and Stan is enlisted by owner Clem Hoatley (Willem Dafoe) by get rid of the geek. Clem explains that the geeks are men with troubled pasts, usually an alcoholic or drug addict, and he lures one with the promise of a temporary job and gives them opium-laced alcohol. He uses their dependence to abuse them physically and mentally until they sink into madness and depravity, thus creating a freak show geek. Clem then shows Stan the storage of moonshine he brews to control the carnies, warning him not to mistake it for the wood alcohol he stores nearby. Stan works with the clairvoyant act "Madame Zeena" (Toni Collette) and her alcoholic husband, Pete (David Strathairn), who use cold reading (high probability guesses and picking up on signals) and a coded language system to make it seem that she has extraordinary mental powers. Pete begins teaching these skills to Stan, but he and Zeena warn him not to use them to continue leading patrons on when it comes to the dead. They always inform customers afterward that the show is a deception, otherwise people get hurt. Meanwhile, Stan becomes attracted to fellow performer Mary Elizabeth "Molly" Cahill (Rooney Mara), who has a talent for absorbing and conducting electrocution, and he helps her to create an electric chair act. One night, Stan, possibly accidentally, gives Pete a bottle later identified as wood alcohol, and the old man dies from poisoning. In the aftermath, Stan swears his love to Molly, and they leave the carnival behind to become a two-person act. Two years later, Stan has established himself as "The Great Stanton," a psychic act for wealthy patrons in New York, with Molly as his assistant, using Zeena and Pete's techniques. During a performance, their act is interrupted by psychologist Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), who attempts to expose them as frauds, but Stan gets the better of her, keeping their act safe while publicly humiliating her. The wealthy Judge Kimball (Peter MacNeill) approaches Stan, revealing he hired Ritter to test Stan. He is convinced of Stan's abilities and offers to pay him handsomely to help him and his wife (Mary Steenburgen) communicate with their dead son. Molly objects to this, but Stan agrees. Ritter invites Stan to her office; she knows he is a con man but is nevertheless intrigued by his manipulative skill. She has had many recorded sessions with clients, accumulating sensitive information from New York's social elite. Stan and Ritter are attracted to each other and begin an affair, and conspire together to manipulate Kimball, with Ritter sharing private information to make the scam more convincing. She also begins therapy sessions with Stan, who reveals his guilt over Pete's death, and that he killed his own alcoholic father, he hated him and burned his body before joining the circus. Kimball introduces Stan to Ezra Grindle (Richard Jenkins), a ruthless auto tycoon with a sceptical interest in the occult. Grindle reveals his lover Dory died in a forced abortion and wants to communicate with her. Ritter warns Stan that Grindle is dangerous, but he begins to scam him, and the pressure causes Stan to start drinking. Ritter feeds information to Stan to use against Grindle as revenge for him previously attacking her. Molly becomes increasingly uncomfortable, and leaves Stan after learning about his affair with Ritter. He begs her to stay, but she refuses, only agreeing to help him one last time. Meanwhile, Judge Kimball's wife is mentally unstable, due to Stan's promising them a reunion with their dead son, and in madness she shoots her husband dead, and commits suicide. One night, Molly poses as the spirit of Dory for Stan's ultimate act, to fool Grindle who will see her from afar. However, he loses control of Grindle, who reveals himself to be a violent abuser of many women due to his guilt for Dory. Grindle sees Molly from afar but runs to and embraces her before she can exit. Unknown to Stan, Grindle's henchman, Anderson (Holt McCallany), hears on the radio of the murder-suicide of Judge Kimball and his wife, and goes to check on Stan and Grindle. Grindle is enraged upon realising that "Dory" is a fake and promises to destroy Stan. In response, Stan beats Grindle to death, then kills Anderson during their escape. As he begins to trash their car to create the impression that it was stolen, Molly leaves Stan for good. Stan goes to Ritter for help but discovers she has been scamming him all along, she reveals that wanted revenge for him humiliating her during their first encounter. Ritter calls the police and threatens to use their private recording sessions as evidence that he is mentally disturbed if he tries to implicate her. Ritter shoots Stan in the ear, and he tries to strangle Ritter, but the police arrive, and he flees. Wanted, injured, and with nowhere else to go, Stan hides in a train and wanders around for years as an alcoholic hobo. At his limit, Stan finds another carnival and tries to get a job as a mentalist but is turned away by the owner (Tim Blake Nelson). Seeing him down his luck, the owner offers him a drink and a "temporary" job as the new geek at the last minute. Stan accepts the offer while both laughing and sobbing. Also starring Ron Perlman as Bruno, Mark Povinelli as The Major, Lara Jean Chorostecki as Louise Hoatley, Jim Beaver as Sheriff Jedediah Judd, Clifton Collins Jr. As Funhouse Jack, David Hewlett as Dr. Elrood, Sarah Mennell as Abigail, Troy James as The Snake Man, and Matthew MacCallum as Human Skeleton. Cooper goes against his usual charismatic character type and engaging as a con artist, Blanchett is interesting as the femme fatale, and there is good support from Collette, Dafoe, and Jenkins. Although this isn't a horror film, del Toro uses his background in the genre to elevate the nasty moments, but more than anything, this is a love letter to the classic noir movies. It is a film of two halves, the first half being in the circus, and the second in the city, it is a fascinating character study with many dark moments, the period detail and costume design is terrific, the score by Nathan Johnson is good, and the special effects are well done, it may be a little long, but all in all it is an intriguing and watchable psychological thriller. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Cinematography, and it was nominated the BAFTAs for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design. Very good!

Slow and conventional

[grantss · 5/10 · 13 March 2022]

Stanton Carlisle is a drifter with a talent for theatrics and hustling people out of their money. He lands a job at a carnival where he learns the essentials of mentalism from a pair of masters of the art. He also meets the love of his life and the two of them leave the carnival to take his act on the road. Then he meets a psychologist who sees through his façade.

A film which on the surface had the potential to be a great psychological thriller. However, it doesn't come close to delivering on its promise. The set-up - Carlisle working at the carnival - takes far too long, resulting in the film feeling likes it's just aimlessly drifting. The carnival section isn't worthless - it shows Carlisle's character and skills, how he learnt his craft and the lengths he would go to in order to get ahead - but it is far too drawn-out.

When Act 2 eventually arrives we're already an hour into the movie. I was starting to think of giving up but the introduction of the psychologist, Dr Lilith Ritter, immediately ups the tension and intrigue. However, even now things get drawn out. With my attention re-engaged I figured that I was in a for a thrilling, intriguing, tension-filled, twist-filled roller-coaster ride but the film pulls too many of its punches.

Plot development is sedate and conventional and instead of a great twist towards the end the film just peters out. In my mind I was contemplating all the decent, yet largely predictable, twists the film could follow yet the ending didn't even measure up to the most predictable of these.

Disappointing.