Nightmare Alley
An ambitious carnival man with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words hooks up with a female psychologist who is even more dangerous than he is.
- Released: 2021-12-02
- Runtime: 150 minutes
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
- Stars: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, David Strathairn, Holt McCallany, Mark Povinelli, Jim Beaver, Romina Power, Paul Anderson, Tim Blake Nelson, Mary Steenburgen, Clifton Collins Jr., Lara Jean Chorostecki, Drew Nelson, David Hewlett, Troy James, Samantha Rodes, Peter MacNeill, Sarah Mennell, Mike Hill, Caleb Ellsworth-Clark, Dian Bachar, Matthew MacCallum, Linden Porco, Jesse Buck, Stephen McHattie, Bill MacDonald, Natalie Brown, Perry Mucci, Dan Lett, Catherine McGregor, Martin Julien, Tim Post, Will Conlon, Daniel Falk, James Collins, Lili Connor, Danny Waugh, Walter Rinaldi, Andrew Locke, Calvin Desautels, Derrick Moore, Grant Bradley, Dani Klupsch, Vikki Ring, Vanessa Botbyl, Michael Bridgeman, Charles Langille, Paul Taylor, Clyde Whitham, Romina Power
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
Comments
- jephy-92832 - 2 May 2024
See the Original
When the motion picture meets the definition of soporific yet has dozens of "9+" reviews, then you know the studio is the one contributing the reviews....especially when the tone and style of the reviews are all so similar. The film's plot--if there is one at all--advances at an amateur's rate testing, daring, irritating the viewer to finish it. Very good cinematography effectively ruined by a non-plot. Tyrone Power and Joan Blondell star in the tale's original and is much more worth your time as they capture the essence of the period engrossing the viewer as opposed to boringly anesthetizing him. Skip. - Kukkahattuseta - 6 January 2024
Rather enjoyable, but little soulless
I watched this film in just the right mood. It didn't offer anything new, but it was entertaining and well made. Still, the film left me feeling a little empty. Stylish, but... Still, the film didn't really have a soul. Maybe I've seen too many similar films. I usually criticise poorly made studio staging, but it suited this film. The staging was clearly intended to create a theatrical, magical and fairytale like atmosphere. It worked for me.
It's was still a good winter evening pastime. It was freezing outside, windy and snowing. Inside, candles were burning and there was a peaceful atmosphere. All in all, the atmosphere was a bit like the end-part of the film. - PeterMasberg - 3 October 2023
Beautiful boredom
Guillermo del Toro wanted to do a film noir but the result is not convincing. By ridiculously overstretching the film's runtime and drenching the story of every possible hint of comic relief but grotesquely accentuating the melodramatic instead he produced a film noir parody. It's a shame because the film is a feast for the eyes: the cinematography is breathtaking, the sets are stunning, the costumes are ravishing. And acting talent wherever you look. So what went wrong? The film begins fine enough with twenty minutes of fast action, little dialogue, convincing images. But then the plodding begins: dialogue, dialogue, dialogue, mostly written in tired cliches, delivered with as little emotion as possible, lacking motivation, presenting cardboard characters. Of course there are treasures here: Mary Steenburgen's moving cameo as a grief-stricken mother, Richard Jenkins turn as a monster with a conscience, the brilliant final scene. Apart from that: beautiful boredom. - ivantheeditor - 9 December 2022
Could have been so much more...
I can't help it. I feel like in my mind I saw a totally different movie than what I actually saw. The images were so beautiful. The acting was so elaborate. Everything kept saying "You're watching a masterpiece now!" But I wasn't. I was watching an incredibly average story. One that was being told very, very, very... very slowly. I think because it was a Del Toro film I was expecting more? Who knows. When the movie was over I even went to youtube to watch a few of those "ending explained" type of videos because I was sure - I was 100% sure - I had missed something. There was no way it was that.... obvious. That easy. That... pointless. You mean to tell me that we witnessed this whole elaborate journey only for the main character to end up like that? No redemption for him... and no redemption for this movie. If I were you - I'd skip it. - johnwoodward-32079 - 31 October 2022
Completely off topic
I can't say anything that hasn't probably already been said so completely off topic I just want to add see how Bradley Cooper is dressed in this film he reminded me of a young Harrison Ford in Raiders of the lost Ark, if ever they wanted to do a reboot of Indiana Jones I could see Bradley Cooper doing an excellent job in looks and appeal. I have read after Harrison Ford hangs up the whip and fedora there will never be another Indiana Jones but I can't see that coming to fruition I also heard there could be a female Indians Jones, I'm pretty sure in 50+ years time there could easily be more films staring Harrison Ford and other actors once they have perfected digitally enhancing actors on to the screen such as Princess Leia in the recent Star Wars films but for now I reckon Bradley could do an amazing job. - cmatzenauer - 27 August 2022
Underwhelming sadly
Great cast, cinematography and potential.... but just not good enough. The complexity that should have come with this level of a 'grift' wasn't there and it ended up being boring and too long.
The end was valuable but not enough to save what was missing. It was unfortunate to figure out Cate's plan in one step with no further thought or mind games involved.
Again, a lot of potential that didn't make it. I probably wouldn't recommend it despite the good performances.
Cate, Bradley, Willem, and my favorite Toni Collette save the movie as much as possible.
We're going to rewatch the Mentalist to get a fix of proper mind games that you can never figure out!
