Nightingale (II) (2014) User Reviews

An unsettling one man show

[Dr_Aristotle · 6/10 · 21 July 2015]

This is one of the most uncomfortable movies that I've ever watched, it does an amazing job of taken you into the mind of a man who is broken and obsessed.

If you're looking for how madness is typically portrayed in movies with cackling, crazy eyes, or erratic movements, then this isn't your movie. If you're expecting an engaging plot, with shocking twist and turns, then look elsewhere, as you'll also be disappointed with the movie. This movie is for those who want a character study, one of a man who is socially broken and unaware, and his spiral deeper into madness. It's a very grounded portrayal which has the positive of making the movie unsettling because of how realistic it feels.

Of course, because the movie is so unsettling, it can certainly turn people off from wanting to watch it. It's also not engaging in the typical Hollywood way; while captivating, I don't really think it's an enjoyable film. So if you like having a good time in your movies, you'll hate this one.

The feel of the movie is very similar to what I would expect to see on stage, essentially a one man show with the single location and communication with the audience. This unique feel makes the movie feel more intimate, though I can see why someone would be put off by it; so if you really dislike plays, I'd probably avoid it.

David Oyelowo gives an extraordinary performance that oozes off the screen, and feels like a real person. I actually know someone in real life with a similar personality, so it was truly eerie to see and get to know a character like Peter, because of how rooted he was.

Overall the movie was well shot and the performance was great, but it's not something I ever want to see again. And I already know that there are a lot of people who won't like this movie, as it has a very specific audience. At the very least I recommend checking the movie out, you'll know by the 30 minute mark if it's your type of movie. If by then you're not into it, then you really won't enjoy it.

Nightingale

[frank-c-giugliano · 7/10 · 13 May 2020]

It's not easy to call Nightingale horror. But then again if Nightingale isn't horror, what is? David Oyelowo stars in the 2014 film from Executive Producer Brad Pitt's entertainment company Plan B, helmed by Director Eliot Lester (Selma), as the tormented Peter Snowden, a man who is on the downside of a lifelong battle with mental illness. In this context the film solely relies on one-sided conversations on the telephone along with pitifully accurate vlog entries and their summonsed yet unsolicited comments.

The sparse production and singular location serves as a look into Snowden's lacking support system and also paints a picture of what loneliness truly looks like.

As we follow Snowden's descent into madness Lester feeds us the pieces of Snowden's life we need to begin to understand the psychosis that brings him to this moment in time. In doing so Lester reminds us that mental illness is comprised of two parts; the first being the genetic makeup of an individual which makes it more likely to being susceptible to the illness and the second being the environment a person develops in, which plays a large role in a person's growth-or lack of.

At one time relatable and almost silly David Oyelowo's character work as Peter Snowden is complex; it almost appears too simple until we realize we've been fooled. Why do we question every interaction Snowden has with his acquaintances? Is he even speaking to another person on the other line or is every conversation living only in Snowden's mind? Viewers will know the answer to that question as concretely as Snowden himself knows for certain the difference between reality and psychosis.

All the weight of Nightingale rests on its very conclusion where the very talented David Oyelowo serves a lifetime of pain and then a way out. It's a bleak film, with an even bleaker ending. Then again, how many people do you know who suffer from severe mental disability who actually have their happy ending?

How big deal is hosting a dinner for an old friend?

[Reno-Rangan · 7/10 · 4 October 2015]

Executive produced by Brad Pitt and distributed by HBO. The film partially inspired by the real event. The British actor David Oyelowo stars in this one man show. Nominated for the Emmy Awards, but he has won the Critics Choice Television Awards for his brilliant performance. That mean Critics loved it, but what movie fanatics say is yet to know. Along, the movie's fate (not commercially) will be decided by the common people who follow either critics or film fanatics or the both.

So it begins when an ex soldier, Peter wanted to invite his fellow buddy, Edward from the army for a dinner. Just for one evening, but his mother and Ed's wife are the obstacle. It is a big deal for Peter and he's very obsessed with it, because they haven't met since 18 years. It looks silly, but the story progression is to tell how serious it could get. Drags until the final minute, develops the story in every possible fresh angle, but still revolves around the same theme. Not that hard to predict, but how it all ends remains our intense lookout.

The presentation is very deceiving. You would see everything and believe it instantly, but you won't hear everything you see. I am talking about the phone calls that you can't hear the conversation from the other side of the line. That is where the doubts arise, because there's no confirmation of anything. You probably think there might be a hidden message or something and you want to decode it. It might confuse you what I'm babbling, but you will realise while you begin to watch it.

"I see now that my whole life has pointed to this moment."

So, if you have not seen it yet, my small suggestion is there are layers, especially the screenplay. They are not quite in order, but when Peter connects with other people, mostly with phone calls it also reveals his mental health condition. Excluding the beginning, when later part proceeds that discloses he trapped himself inside the house. Only the next half where the movie somewhat gives a glimpse of the surrounding exterior.

It seems like Peter is blogging and revealing his present situation for millions of people online. Frankly, I never get those parts. But todays people are hooked to the internet, expects opinions from the strangers about their personal lives. When the film reaches the halfway mark, by then somewhat you come to know about the Peter and what is his motive, but mystery remains as we don't know the people he keeps in touch with.

This psychological-drama was shot in a single location with the character Peter almost in every frame. Finely written screenplay by a newcomer and helmed by the 'Blitz' director. The movie was 80 minutes long, uses all the opportunities to fill the loopholes, but still few remains. Better to call it unsettled plot rather to label them as the flaws. Very original and so distinctive, one of this year's rare and special movie, but not a spectacular. And my final words, the less you learn, the more you are going to enjoy the film and you would hardly miss any important stuff.

7/10

A Captivating One Man Show

[Moviegoer19 · 9/10 · 8 June 2015]

It is a testimony to both the script and the acting in this film that I watched from beginning to end and was never bored. In Nightingale, which takes place in the home of a man and his mother, we watch this recently returned home veteran come to terms with many of the issues of his life, including his relationships, and the components of his emotional state, namely his wishes, hopes, fears, disappointments, etc. Other people in his life are implied through phone calls and letters. David Oyelowo does a superb acting job in which he travels through different mental states and changes, without going over the top which would have rendered it unbelievable and unwatchable, for me. From beginning to end, he was utterly believable as a man, trying to live, while coming undone.

These "One-man Show" Movies Bug Me...

[MovieHoliks · 4/10 · 9 June 2015]

I just saw this new film, which I "think" is an HBO original, off HBO GO over the weekend, and despite some good reviews, I just was not terribly impressed.

David Oyelowo, who just portrayed Martin Luther King, Jr., in last year's "Selma", stars as a lonely war veteran who psychologically unravels ahead of an old friend's impending visit. This is a real downer of a film. That in and of itself is not a deal breaker for me, but this is one of those "One Man Show" movies that really bug me. I think it's because they just seem so staged-?? Oyelowo is good in the role, no doubt about that, but watching 80 minutes of this was practically tantamount to torture! LOL

For me, a good instance of taking a one man show, and converting it into film was Chazz Palminteri's wonderful "A Bronx Tale", which the film version was directed by Robert DeNiro, and Palminteri had a key supporting role. You take the one man show, and you expand upon it to make it more "cinematic"... I would say check out THAT film instead if you haven't seen it already...

Riveting portrait of self destruction

[CheeryToes · 9/10 · 29 May 2015]

David Oyelowo is electrifying. From the moment the story opens to the inevitable climax you are spellbound. You can't take your eyes off him as his story, his pain, his need spills out all over the screen. The pain is palpable, but not overwhelming or trite. Every moment feels real, there's not one false step. The fact that is basically one large long soliloquy doesn't keep it from being compelling to watch, if nothing else, it compels the fascination.

Peter Snowden is a broken man and his brokenness is palpable, it's a living thing that consumes him and drives his every decision. When the movie ended I said, "Wow, wow" I knew I'd watched something special.

I highly recommend it.

Boringale... But David Oyelowo saves it from being a complete snooze-fest

[Seth_Rogue_One · 4/10 · 2 December 2015]

David Oyelowo is a underrated and under-appreciated actor, and he fully commits to this movie in his role which is good.

But the movie itself is not as good, it tries to have sort of a mystery feel to it but everything is pretty obvious straight from the gate.

I'm not gonna spoil it but it's one of those movies where most of the running time only one person is in the scene, so if you are not into those kind of movies this movie is not for you.

Me personally I find those movies to be hits or misses, but overall I can't say I'm a big fan and I didn't know it was gonna be one of those movies when I went into it.

For me it fails because I don't find the character all that interesting nor do I care much about what his personal fate will be and there's hardly any character-development either (or plot development for that matter).

But it's more meant as a up and close character study I suppose, it's just not a character that I personally think was worth studying.

"A boy's best friend is his Mother"

[pyrocitor · 8/10 · 8 March 2016]

Never mind Gus Van Sant's ill-advised 1998 remake: here is our ideal 21st century adaptation of Psycho. Instead of custodianship, our contemporary Norman Bates directs his spiteful and playfully sulky jabs to Mother through a video blog while eagerly preparing for guests, yet is shown to be just as fraying in sanity. But there's nothing mad about Nightingale, which ticks along with absorbing insistence, unspooling its familiar narrative of obsession and yearning with deftness and ease.

Any single actor show is always a commitment, but director Elliot Lester keeps the proceedings lively and engaging, with cameras mesmerizingly gliding through every last inch of Peter Snowden's house, while the disjuncture between long, still takes and rapid cutting empathetically mirror his manic shifts in energy, even blurring the frame imperceptibly in solidarity with his drunkenness. Writer Frederick Mensch employs every conceit in the book to stave off stagnation (including a choice HBO gag the film's original viewership must have relished). He motivates Snowden's monologuing and teasing crucial exposition through key props and devices, including his mother's makeup mirror, phone conversations, prayer, and his vlogging interludes, each teasing out distinct strands of personality coalescing into a disturbed but wholly realized individual. Meanwhile, Mark D. Todd's score lends an uneasy serenity to the surroundings, as the film creeps along with a thinly veiled false sense of security.

Story-wise, which enraptures its unravelling protagonist with The Glass Menagerie's anticipation of a gentleman caller of sorts, there are few surprises, but the inevitability with which events transpire is bittersweet in itself. But beyond this cursory human experience, which is affecting enough, there's not much by way of thematic subtext. Childhood trauma and military service are teased, but left as largely self-evident, while it's unclear if the collusion in the character names "Edward" and "Snowden" is meant to imply any sort of commentary (the dichotomy between his isolated loneliness and his consistent filming and publicizing his stream-of-consciousness monologues?), but it's either clumsily implemented or vaguely distractingly gimmicky.

As such, the film is worthwhile primarily as a showcase of its lead, the magnificent David Oyelowo. Nearly unrecognizable from his star-making turn as MLK in Selma, Oyelowo, carrying virtually every frame of the film, is comparably superbly magnetic here. Sashaying through mood swings (and hair styles) encompassing outrageously silly to pouty to vitriolic and destructive, Oyelowo masterfully conjures energy through his constant tension between frenzied movement and stillness, all the while carrying a wealth of achingly sympathetic unspoken backstory in his increasingly bloodshot eyes. It's a spectacular turn, and if, granted, he's the predominant draw and purpose Nightingale, he alone is easily well worth the experience.

-7.5/10

superb actor, superb film.

[debrakessing · 9/10 · 19 July 2015]

I don't do reviews. Movies are subjective. I felt the need however, with this acting lesson of a film by one man. ONE ACTOR in the entire thing. Not one single dull moment, no over the top or expositional acts to bring us out of this man's world.

I knew David Oyelowo was an excellent actor. I don't believe that description is enough to hint at the magnitude of his talent after watching Nightingale. We have all said such & such does not appear to be acting because they are so natural. Well, add to that being the ONLY PERSON in the film AND an extremely nuanced character - covering most every emotion in the space of ninety minutes and you can begin to see why you must watch this movie!!

So well done

[Nancypark-700-543997 · 10/10 · 2 July 2019]

I would imagine doing a movie solo is difficult but David Oyelowo carries it off effortlessly.

Extremely Happy the Fish Were Okay in the End

[untilnow99 · 10/10 · 3 November 2019]

I hope my title doesn't spoil the movie for you, if you haven't yet seen this movie.

It's likely I spent too much time fixating on the health and welfare of the fish, as soon as Peter brought them home. Maybe I was trying, in large part, to distance myself from taking part in his suffering and excruciatingly painful loss of grip on reality.

Oweyolo is superb. I watched this movie right after seeing "Gringo," so, honestly, there are not enough superlatives extant to describe and praise his mesmerizingly wonderful acting range.

This film is watchable and gripping 90% due to his admirable talent as an actor. The other 10% is the phenomenal camera work. Oh, and, well, the story itself.

One thing I didn't find at all believeable was that the love of Peter's life never got around to changing his phone number. But that's a small niggle.

Not being all caught up in religiosity myself, the fact that Peter's whole life had been wrapped in Jesus talk made me feel really sad for him. And I started thinking a lot about the guy down the street from us who, about 30 years back now, stabbed both his parents to death-----his super duper religious parents.Wonder how he's doing in prison?

The fact that Peter was blogging wasn't made clear to me until the very end. I somehow thought he was just kind of recording his downslide into madness and it never occurred to me he was sharing his misery online. Brilliant.

Which contributed to the brilliant ending, too. So glad I watched this. Cathartic. I cried like a baby at the end.

Synopsis is lacking and misleading.

[jimel98 · 8/10 · 20 July 2015]

First off, without a doubt, the star and really, ONLY actor, David Oyelowo is terrific. He carries this film. Well, I guess he's HAVE to being he's really the only one in it, but his downward spiral into total madness is done amazingly well.

What I did not like was the misleading (in my opinion) storyline synopsis. The dialogue touches on Peter (the main character) being in the Army which is the reason and the means in which he met the man coming to visit. Nothing is implied he was ever in combat or even left the States. I was expecting a compelling drama about a man coping with the scars left on him from the horrors of war and his need to overcome them.

Here's the potential spoiler: He is obviously gay, met a man in the army and fell in love. They are blocked from seeing each other and that, coupled with the absolute control his mother has over him causes him to unravel. I didn't say EVERYTHING, but I think I summed up the movie far better than what we're handed, which is a half truth and THAT bothers the hell out of me.

Mr. Oyelowo does a magnificent job and the photography has just enough of a claustrophobic feel that the movie is fascinating. Why lie about the subject matter, or tell only a fraction of the truth. I'm not sure I get it, but then again, maybe I'm not supposed to.

It's a good movie and I may have felt it was a GREAT movie if I didn't walk into it on a false premise. Then again, maybe I still wouldn't think it was THAT great, but I would have appreciated it more.

Powerful.

[dayana421 · 8/10 · 30 December 2018]

Nightingale is gripping and well acted. Very powerful.David Oyelowo is excellent .

Superb

[olonly · 9/10 · 26 February 2022]

Didn't think I could spend 90 minutes watching this guy's mental decline, but I did. Excellent acting by David Oyelowo. The Academy missed recognizing a superb performance.