classicsoncall Review of Nocturnal Animals

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

"...our world is a lot less painful than the real world."

[8/10 · 23 March 2021]

As the story within a story concept plays out, we learn that Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) relives a former relationship which in her own mind, she ended miserably and with little compassion for her ex-husband. Jake Gyllenhaal portrays the ex, Edward Sheffield, along with a character in the book written by him. The fictional story, titled "Nocturnal Animals", progresses along the lines of a Stephen King novel or screenplay, and contains levels of violence that often brings Susan out of her reverie long enough to have her reflect mournfully on her past and the guilt that goes along with it. You come to realize that his novel was Sheffield's form of revenge after his emotions festered over the course of two decades for not only the sudden breakup, but for the callous abortion Susan had that ended her association with him. In a way, the fictional story almost overwhelms the here and now of Susan's recollections because of it's graphic violence and the perversity of the characters that drive the fictional Hastings family off the road and initiate a night filled with terror. The novel's introduction of a dying police detective (Michael Shannon) raises the revenge stakes up a notch for Hastings, in turn symbolizing Edward Sheffield's determination to make Susan Morrow suffer for an unrequited past. The entire picture is very well done, with the transitions between the present, the past and the situations in the book's narrative occurring seamlessly enough that one doesn't get confused if you're paying attention. The only downside if there has to be one, was that gruesome opening with the naked fat ladies, but now that I mention it, you'll probably want to see it for yourself.