NOCTURNAL ANIMALS (2016)

Summary:

Susan Morrow, an unfulfilled Los Angeles art gallery owner, receives an unexpected package from her ex-husband, Edward Sheffield, whom she hasn't seen in nearly two decades. The package contains the manuscript for his first novel, titled "Nocturnal Animals"—a nickname he once used for her. As Susan begins to read the brutal and suspenseful tale of a family vacation gone horribly wrong, she finds herself drawn into a dark, fictional world that forces her to confront her past and the choices she made, particularly regarding her relationship with Edward.

The film masterfully weaves three distinct narratives: Susan's melancholic present, the violent and harrowing events of Edward's novel, and flashbacks to Susan and Edward's tumultuous past. The lines between fiction and reality blur as Susan interprets the novel's characters and events as a thinly veiled metaphor for Edward's pain and her own capacity for cruelty. This psychological thriller explores themes of revenge, regret, artistic expression, and the devastating consequences of emotional betrayal, culminating in a chilling encounter that leaves Susan to grapple with the profound impact of her actions.

Keywords: Nocturnal Animals, 2016, Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Thriller, Drama, Neo-noir, Psychological.

Plot:

The film opens with a jarring sequence of obese women dancing nude in slow motion, presented as an art installation at a gallery opening hosted by Susan Morrow (Amy Adams). Susan, a wealthy but deeply unhappy Los Angeles art gallery owner, lives a sterile, emotionally vacant life with her second husband, Hutton Morrow (Armie Hammer), a charming but unfaithful businessman facing financial troubles. Her days are filled with superficial interactions and a pervasive sense of dread and dissatisfaction.

One day, Susan receives an unexpected package containing a manuscript for a novel titled "Nocturnal Animals," written by her estranged first husband, Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal). Edward, an aspiring writer whom Susan left nearly two decades prior, has dedicated the book to her. Intrigued and a little unnerved, Susan begins to read the manuscript late at night, immersing herself in its dark and violent narrative.

The novel, presented as a film-within-a-film, tells the story of Tony Hastings (also played by Jake Gyllenhaal), a mild-mannered family man, his wife Laura (Isla Fisher), and their teenage daughter India (Ellie Bamber). While driving through the desolate landscape of West Texas late at night, their car is aggressively targeted by a trio of local thugs led by the menacing Ray Marcus (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), accompanied by Lou (Karl Glusman) and Turk (Robert Aramayo). The encounter quickly escalates into a terrifying road rage incident, forcing Tony's car off the road. Ray, exercising a chilling dominance, separates Tony from his wife and daughter, taking Laura and India in their own car while leaving Tony stranded in the desert, taunting him with the knowledge that he is helpless to protect his family.

Tony eventually manages to escape and call for help. Detective Bobby Andes (Michael Shannon), a gruff and terminally ill lawman with a strong sense of justice, takes on the case. Andes discovers the brutalized and murdered bodies of Laura and India near an abandoned shack, their bodies posed in a way that suggests a horrific sexual assault before their deaths. Tony is consumed by guilt, despair, and a burning desire for revenge, feeling utterly emasculated by his inability to protect his family. Andes, seeing Tony's pain and recognizing the evil of Ray Marcus, forms an unspoken alliance with Tony, promising to bring the culprits to justice, even if it means bending the rules.

As Susan continues to read, the novel's brutal events deeply disturb her, triggering flashbacks to her own past with Edward. She remembers their passionate courtship, her mother Anne Sutton's (Laura Linney) disapproval of Edward, whom she deemed "weak" and "unambitious." Susan's mother, a cynical and materialistic woman, warned her that she would eventually become like her, marrying a man who embodied her own perceived weaknesses. Susan eventually married Edward, but as time passed, she grew restless and critical of his struggling career as a writer, mirroring her mother's earlier sentiments.

The novel's narrative progresses with Andes pursuing Ray and his gang. Turk is found dead after a botched robbery, and Andes uses illegal tactics to extract information from Lou, who eventually leads them to Ray. Ray, however, manages to evade capture for nearly a year. Andes, nearing retirement and increasingly ill, decides to take matters into his own hands. He arranges for Tony to identify Ray, and then, in a highly illegal act, kidnaps Ray with Tony's implicit consent. Andes brutally beats Ray, attempting to force a confession for the murders of Laura and India. Ray, however, remains defiant, confessing only to stealing the car and leaving them for dead, implying that Lou was the one who committed the actual rapes and murders. Ray taunts Tony, confirming his helplessness and mocking his lack of action.

In a climactic confrontation in the novel, Tony is given a gun by Andes, who encourages him to exact his revenge. Tony shoots Ray, but the shot doesn't kill him. Ray retaliates, hitting Tony with a metal rod, blinding him. Despite his injury, Tony manages to fire a second shot, killing Ray. Overwhelmed by his actions and his blindness, Tony stumbles away, collapsing and ultimately dying from his wounds, dropping the gun beside him. The novel ends with Tony's tragic, self-destructive act of vengeance.

Back in Susan's reality, the novel's dark themes and Edward's raw portrayal of loss and revenge resonate deeply with her. She recognizes the parallels between Tony's helplessness and Edward's own perceived weakness during their marriage. She recalls her affair with Hutton, her growing disdain for Edward's "romantic" nature, and her ultimate decision to leave him, aborting their child without his knowledge—an act that crushed Edward. Susan realizes that Edward's novel is not just a story, but a powerful, violent metaphor for the pain and betrayal she inflicted upon him, a chilling act of literary revenge. She understands that the "nocturnal animals" are not just the thugs in the book, but perhaps her own predatory nature, or the dark thoughts that keep her awake at night.

Haunted by the novel and her past, Susan emails Edward, expressing her admiration for his work and suggesting they meet. Edward agrees to meet her at a chic restaurant. Susan, filled with a mix of anticipation, regret, and hope for reconciliation, prepares meticulously for their reunion. She confronts Hutton about his infidelity and the dire state of their finances, accepting that her current life is a hollow shell.

Susan arrives at the restaurant and waits. And waits. Time passes, and Edward never appears. She sits alone, meticulously dressed, in the bustling restaurant, a poignant figure of isolation and longing, left to contemplate the profound and irreversible consequences of her past actions. The final shot lingers on her face, a mask of realization and desolate regret, understanding that Edward's ultimate revenge was not just the novel, but his complete and utter absence, leaving her to face the "animal" within herself, alone in the darkness he had so vividly illuminated.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Amy Adams as Susan Morrow
• Jake Gyllenhaal as Edward Sheffield / Tony Hastings
• Michael Shannon as Detective Bobby Andes
• Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Ray Marcus
• Isla Fisher as Laura Hastings
• Ellie Bamber as India Hastings
• Armie Hammer as Hutton Morrow
• Laura Linney as Anne Sutton
• Andrea Riseborough as Alessia Holt
• Michael Sheen as Carlos Holt

Crew:

• Director: Tom Ford
• Screenwriter: Tom Ford (based on the novel "Tony and Susan" by Austin Wright)
• Producers: Tom Ford, Robert Salerno
• Cinematography: Seamus McGarvey
• Editor: Joan Sobel
• Music: Abel Korzeniowski
• Production Designer: Shane Valentino

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: September 2, 2016 (Venice Film Festival) / November 18, 2016 (United States)
• Language: English
• Genre: Neo-noir Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Drama
• Running Time: 116 minutes
• Accolades: Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (Aaron Taylor-Johnson); Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Michael Shannon); BAFTA Award Nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography.