Grade: B+
Director Tom Ford’s movie Nocturnal Animals is a supremely interesting and worthy conclusion to my 2017 journey of watching all the Best Picture, Director, and acting nominees for the Oscars. It is at least two movies in one. Amy Adams stars as an art gallery owner who suddenly receives a “proof” copy of her ex-husband’s new novel. As she reads it, we are shown the action in the book, as a movie-within-the-movie, which is so solid and compelling, it could have stood alone as its own feature and I would have been perfectly satisfied. We know it’s not real, as we know we are a couple degrees removed from it, but funnily enough, it was my favorite of the multiple stories.
Joining the always effective Amy Adams is Jake Gyllenhaal pulling double duty as both the novelist ex-husband, and the hero in the “book” portion of the movie. Best Supporting Actor nominee Michael Shannon shines more than I thought he would as a law enforcement officer (in the novel). He brings to the table a delicious amount of intensity and vehemence.
The opening credits are certainly one of the most memorable I’ve ever seen. Usually, I’m reading the names on the screen and whatever else is happening during that is secondary. Not even close to the case this time. The final shot is quite affecting as well. Not everything gets resolved, and much is left open to discussion and interpretation. I could have watched another half hour if it was going to give us more. Remind me why they shut down all message boards on IMDB?
Grade: B+
Film Reviews by Mark 
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