Just came back from seeing Nocturnal Animals. I thought it was a pretty darn good movie. I'm sad it hasn't made more $, but I guess it's not a total disaster either. Tom Ford, the director is an interesting case - I know nothing about him other than what's on IMDB - but he's pretty old (sorry, don't mean to be ageist!), born 1961 and only made two movies - A Single Man (2009) and Nocturnal Animals (2016). Not a very extensive filmography.
I actually saw his first movie (A Single Man), and liked it OK, but this is better. The first movie had a tendency to get a bit lost in pretty images and milking them just a bit too long. He has managed to curb that tendency here a bit. Jake Gyllenhaal, was awesome, again. Good acting throughout from all involved. The music was an issue, as I see it. The problem was that it was so blatently derivative - trying way too hard to mimic a Hitchcock mood, or more acurately Hitchock by a remove as in the Hitchcock tribute Body Double. Should've been more original.
I do wonder however about the ultimate strength of the story. The depth and subtlety is very refreshing, though I felt like it needed to stretch just a bit more. I generally liked the way it was shot, and the art direction was very good indeed (it seems the director must have some kind of art background). The opening titles were riveting and a bold choice, although perhaps a bit stronger than what the film ultimately delivered... which is another point toward the film needing just a bit more umpf.
I wish Tom Ford made more movies, as I think he's better than most out there. I would recommend this film and encourage folks here to see it.
I actually saw his first movie (A Single Man), and liked it OK, but this is better. The first movie had a tendency to get a bit lost in pretty images and milking them just a bit too long. He has managed to curb that tendency here a bit. Jake Gyllenhaal, was awesome, again. Good acting throughout from all involved. The music was an issue, as I see it. The problem was that it was so blatently derivative - trying way too hard to mimic a Hitchcock mood, or more acurately Hitchock by a remove as in the Hitchcock tribute Body Double. Should've been more original.
I do wonder however about the ultimate strength of the story. The depth and subtlety is very refreshing, though I felt like it needed to stretch just a bit more. I generally liked the way it was shot, and the art direction was very good indeed (it seems the director must have some kind of art background). The opening titles were riveting and a bold choice, although perhaps a bit stronger than what the film ultimately delivered... which is another point toward the film needing just a bit more umpf.
I wish Tom Ford made more movies, as I think he's better than most out there. I would recommend this film and encourage folks here to see it.