Wealthy but unhappy art gallery owner Susan (Adams) receives a manuscript from her ex-husband Edward (Gyllenhaal), the manuscript is a violent story called Nocturnal Animals and is dedicated to her. The film has three stories intertwined with each other, there is the story of Susan in her vacuous unhappy life in LA, then there's the story featured in Edward's manuscript, and then the flashbacks to when Susan an Edward were married and the blossoming and deterioration of their relationship.
The first story of Susan's life in LA is really well observed, Ford is obviously commenting on the hollowness and emptiness of the lives that these people live. It would be very easy to become irritated by the people depicted, but these moments feel very self-aware so they're far more entertaining than you would expect it them be. The second story sees Gyllenhaal as the star of his own novel, Nocturnal Animals is the story of Tony who is travelling across Texas with his wife and teen daughter (Isla Fisher & Ellie Bamber) when they are run off the road by a group of red necks led by the incredibly scuzzy Ray Marcus (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). The altercation leads to Tony's wife and daughter being taken and him having to seek the help of Detective Carlos Holt, played exceptionally by Michael Shannon. The third story is Susan remembering her relationship with Edward and the events that led to them separating and how the violence of the book he's written may be to do with what she did to him.
In what is only is second film, Ford has to be lauded for the way he manages to get all three story lines to tie in to each other with such grace, plaudits should also be laid at the feet of his editor Joan Sobel who has pieced the film together in such a coherent manner. What's also impressive about Ford's direction is the way he seems to be operating in 3 different styles for each story, the high class life in LA is all sheen and glamour, then there is a tone of nostalgia and homeliness to the flashbacks, and an exceptional level of grunge and oppressive darkness to Edwards manuscript.
The performances across the board are wonderful, Adams does most of the heavy lifting and manages to be incredibly interesting even when long stretches of the film just involve watching her read. Gyllenhaal is exceptional in the way he tackles dual roles, though Tony is meant to be a reflection of his 'real' character Edward, he throws in enough differences to make them distinguishable from one another, particularly in the case of Tony he has some really powerhouse scenes of emotion. Then there's the rest of the cast, this is just one of those films that is littered with brilliant supporting performances, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is really creepy and intimidating, Michael Shannon is on scene stealing form as his chain smoking, stetson wearing detective. Then there's the likes of Armie Hammer, Andrea Riseborough, Michael Sheen, Jenna Malone and Laura Linney who are given little screen time but offer so much when they're there.
The problem with this film is that it seems emotionally stunted, there's lots of heft there that weighs the film down, but its difficult to actually feel for the any of the characters. It looks so slick, is acted so well and is put together so effectively that there isn't really any heart there. Ultimately this is a film that is very easy to admire but it is incredibly difficult to love.
(High 4 Stars)
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