Our Take
I love films that have several layers, where the authors know how to weave them together masterfully. Nocturnal Animals has at least two layers, though I believe there's a third one, and it's tied directly to the viewer's own experience.
It's the story of Susan, a successful woman who receives a package from her ex-husband along with an invitation to meet. Inside the package is the manuscript of his new novel, and he asks her to read it before they see each other. And here the new layer comes in: we do watch the story Susan reads unfold in parallel, but what truly matters is what it means for her. It's fair to say this story will hardly leave you indifferent. Even if you're not particularly empathetic, the degree of compassion you'll feel will likely be higher than you expect.
In cinema, context matters above all. A film that tries to tell you something directly is a bad film. Every story should be told with room for interpretation. And the layers at work in Nocturnal Animals are the foundation on which this powerful, emotional film is built.
Synopsis
Susan Morrow receives a book manuscript from her ex-husband – a man she left 20 years earlier – asking for her opinion of his writing. As she reads, she is drawn into the fictional life of Tony Hastings, a mathematics professor whose family vacation turns violent.
Cast
