About the film (courtesy of Searchlight Pictures):
An ambitious carny (Bradley Cooper) with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words hooks up with a female psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is.
Bradley Cooper first game onto my radar when he played a meek reporter in J.J. Abrams’ Alias which aired on ABC for five seasons. In those handful of years, his character, Will Tippin, elevated his gameplay to that of a more than capable handler of all things that came his way. Unbeknownst to us at the time, but his film career has kind of mirrored this path. He has taken all types of roles over his twenty-plus year career and doesn’t seem phased about taking a few risks along the way. Cooper’s character in Nightmare Alley could be seen as microcosm of the actor’s career to-date, especially in the way in which he evolves over time.
Did I say “over time”? Well being that this slow-moving drama/thriller takes 150 minutes to get from start to finish, director Guillermo del Toro sure does take the slow scenic route in order to allow the transformation and complex plot to play out. Plan on enduring rather than enjoying portions of this story as eventful moments are bogged down by excessive details. I’d imagine that this is a measured attempt to allow the suspense and mystery to simmer, but it feels like it’s been left on the stove for a bit too long.
Bradley Cooper is decent in his performance as Stanton Carlisle, but his effectiveness somewhat muted by the muddied pacing. Cate Blanchett plays the mysterious Dr. Lilith Ritter, and reading her is a bit challenging at first. She excels in this type of role and gives a solid performance. There is no shortage of fine actors lending their talents. Willem Dafoe, Toni Collette, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen and Clifton Collins Jr. are just some of the supporting cast that you’ll recognize. There is a laundry list of talent that you’ll see throughout.
I’ll certainly give it to Nightmare Alley in terms of its production. The visuals and the score do a commendable job in assisting Guillermo del Toro with providing the perfect canvas in which to set the mood for this noir mystery. Beautiful might be the simplest and most fitting adjective to describe what you will see scene after scene. And as with most circus attractions, be prepared to see some wild stuff. The film makeup artists and stylists brought their A-games.
Nightmare Alley is interesting and still slightly dull at times. The storytelling gives just enough to keep you engaged but not enough to put you on the edge of your seat. It’s the beautiful artistry that gives this one a slight edge, allowing me to drop it to the recommend category. You can catch Guillermo del Toro’s latest work at a special early screening time of 7:30 PM at select theaters with the wide opening starting Friday, December 17.
