Director – Guillmero Del Toro; Credited Screenwriter(s) – Guillmero Del Toro & Kim Morgan
In two and a half hours, with the assistance of William Lindsay Gresham’s novel, a whip smart script, some astonishingly adept & confident camera work and an absolute powerhouse of acting talent, Del Toro spins a yarn of pitch black noir. His control over every inch of the screen is practically Kubrickian, every frame is dripping with intent and atmosphere – it’s absolutely gorgeous. Cooper anchors the film with a restrained and nuanced performance that builds and unravels in equal measure. But the film is a true ensemble, with not one of the cast putting a foot wrong, each moment crammed with raw emotional truth. That being said, it’s just too long. As fantastic as it is, the film could have benefited from a tighter second act, though I have no idea what one could bear to cut from the narrative. Despite its length, Nightmare Alley remains an absolute ride, packed with horror, beauty, humour, human honesty, and gut wrenching inevitability.
Even Briefer, Please: An absolute Yes, a beautiful and wretched journey, but one that can test your patience. If there’s a better example of film noir in the modern era, I can’t name it.
Briefly, Please 