A compelling thriller with an open-ended ending that feels far too easy for what it had going for it.
Nocturnal Animals starts out very strong. It feels reminiscent of Lynch's Lost Highway or Mulholland Dr. The main character lives a luxurious life surrounded by some very striking pieces of art (art pieces which, throughout the story, make things even more thrilling and surreal). She reads her ex-boyfriend's novel which quite honestly makes us feel like we're in a bad dream. The way the novel starts out feels like Michael Haneke's Funny Games. Its opening scene with Aaron Taylor-Johnson so brilliantly builds in tension with his character's mind games. The story however turns into a bit of a tame crime mystery held up with a sort of fun performance from Michael Shannon. The potential to be a very cryptic thriller is there, but decides instead to put all the pieces together for us. As a Lynch fan, this movie made me crave something stranger. I really wanted to be left mystified but instead I got an ending that was kind of obvious.