The Mosley Review: Nightmare Alley
There are many films out there about confidence men and women and how they get away with it or get what's coming to them. They mostly focus on the thrill of the scheme and the action that ensues as they are chased out of town or across the country. Not many of them actually slow down and let you live with the con artist or invade their personal life as they destroy others. That's what I truly loved about this film and how the mystery is slowly and metaphorically revealed. The first half of the film is set in the perfect breeding ground of scams and I loved that we got to know each person in the carnival and how they operate. A peak behind the curtain if you will and what's behind that curtain is a cautionary tale filled with expert level foreshadowing. The characters all have a part to play in this film and I loved how each one effected the flow of the story. I would warn those that the first half may feel as if the story is going nowhere in particular but once the second half of the film begins, the wheel really starts to move into what the film really has to offer.
Bradley Cooper was excellent as the stoic and mysterious grifter Stanton Castle. I liked that he was always studying people and not so quick to jump into his trick. It made it more suspenseful to find out when or where he was about to begin. His reluctance to show all of his cards and weakness was refreshing since he fought hard to not fall into a version of his own con. Willem Dafoe was an outstanding introduction to the world of "The Angle" as Clement “Clem” Hoately. He was strong and morally dirty for the amount of screen time he had in the film. Toni Collete was excellent as Zeena Krumbein and I loved that right off the bat she was probably the smartest person in the camp. David Strathairn was great as her drunken husband Peter “Pete” Krumbein and he was the catalyst and warning to Stanton of how power can destroy lives. Rooney Mara was so sweet and innocent as Mary Elizabeth "Molly" Cahill. I loved the romance between her and Stanton and their chemistry kept you invested in the story. Cate Blanchett was perfection as the smooth, 1940's femme fatale Lilith Ritter. There are so many layers to her that were so much fun to unravel. I loved the game that is played between her and Stanton as the battle of who is the better con artist. She is so seductive and her mind games are very dangerous and I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Richard Jenkins delivers another outstanding performance as Ezra Grindle. I loved that even the most powerful and wealthy men can be brought down emotionally and psychologically when the right strings are pulled. Between him and Stanton, you start to wonder who is the real villain of the story.
The score by Nathan Johnson was great and haunting in the more personal scenes. I loved that it illustrated the mysterious moments of the film and kept the dark neo noir tone consistent across the film. Visually the film is stunning and the use of shadows and certain color tones in the Lilith's office was brilliant. It helped to visually inform you of who could be the bad or good person in the room. How that line of light is balanced is masterful. The sound design is also really great in a particular scene involving a glass of alcohol. It is both inviting and a commentary on how destructive a simple sip of whiskey can be. Guillermo Del Toro is on my Mount Rushmore of great storytellers and this once again proves why. If you're looking for a film to sink your teeth into character wise, then look no further. Definitely check out this well crafted neo noir tale. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
