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The epic tale of Harry Clifton’s life begins in 1920, with the words “I was told that my father...
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In Harmony
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The root of all madness is an unbearable truth… At seventeen, Willow Holloway’s life was torn...
Handsome Death
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I’m not hunting him; I’m protecting him. At least, that’s what I tell myself. In New...
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Too Good To Be True
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ONE LOVE STORY. TWO MARRIAGES. THREE VERSIONS OF THE TRUTH. Too Good to Be True is an obsessive,...
Looking for Palestine: Growing Up Confused in an Arab-American Family
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A frank and entertaining memoir, from the daughter of Edward Said, about growing up...
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Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War
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Karen Abbott, the New York Times bestselling author of Sin in the Second City and “pioneer of...
Renovations (By Design #6)
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Governor Candace Reid has been in office for just over a month and things have only begun to get...
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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Nightmare Alley (2021) in Movies
Feb 5, 2022
Firstly, there is no reason for NA to be 150 minutes long. One could argue that it gives us more time with the many characters introduced, but it feels gratuitous. The first hour and a half has its moments for sure, but it sometimes feels a little direction-less before the last hour hits, and things kick off a bit. It's an issue that certainly impacts proceedings, and I feel it could have lost 30 minutes and been a tighter final product.
Thankfully, the assembled cast is stacked with royalty. Willem Dafoe and Toni Collette are two of my favourite working actors, so having them both involved is a treat. Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, and Rooney Mara are great as the main leads, and the rest of the ensemble is rounded out by some fantastic character actors - Richard Jenkins, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, David Strathairn - good stuff all round.
The overall visual style is wonderfully Del Toro, from the gloomy and misty carnival sights pierced by neon lights, to the snowy city scape of Buffalo, New York. A lot of the cinematography is gorgeous as well, hats off to Dan Laustsen, and is truly bought to life by a beautifully haunting music score from Nathan Johnson.
All in all, Nightmare Alley ultimately suffers from its pacing, and feels like a slog here and there. However, there are enough positives to carry it over the finish line. I look forward to checking out the black and white version in the near future.