Nightmare Alley

By: Jamie Steinberg

It’s 1940’s New York and Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) is down on his luck. Hoping to erase his past, he befriends a clairvoyant (Toni Collette) and her mentalist husband that have been traveling with a carnival. While she has talent, Stanton has a scheme. Using his newly acquired tips and tricks, he looks to swindle a dangerous tycoon with the aide of a mysterious psychologist who, actually, may turn out to be his most formidable opponent. Thus is the plot to Guillermo del Toro’s latest noir-centric film Nightmare Alley. It’s a dark look into a plot that seems familiar, but del Toro’s special stamp on the idea makes this certainly worth the watch.

With assistant/girlfriend Molly (Rooney Mara) by his side, Stanton thinks he can change his stars by conning psychoanalyst Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett) and a guilt-ridden Ezra Grindle (frequent del Toro star Richard Jenkins). Unfortunately, the cost comes at a high price of having to sell his soul – one though Stanton is perfectly content to do. del Toro’s assembled all-star cast of characters and actors certainly excel in their roles – from Rooney Mara as Stanton’s girlfriend to Cate Blanchett going tete-a-tete against the lascivious Stanton. Based on the book of the same name by William Lindsay Gresham, del Toro does well at bringing the pages to life on our screens.

Certainly, the cinematography by Dan Laustsen and costumes by Luis Sequeira are a highlight in Nightmare Alley. However, it is del Toro’s talent for breathing life into his characters that truly shines. A number of scenes standout that it would take some time to recount them all. Although, I’d be remiss if I didn’t warn the more squeamish of folks to beware of the introduction to Willem Dafoe’s role of Clem who runs a chicken-biting sideshow attraction. While his backstory is moving, it’s the way we meet him that is worth a moment of eye covering.

Nightmare Alley is another one of Guillermo del Toro’s trademark films where he isn’t afraid to shy away from leaving the audience in a lonely place or even to offer a bleak conclusion. It is also a great addition to his out-of-the-box award worthy movies. If you enjoy the dark world del Toro tends to take his viewers down, Nightmare Alley will suit you well.