Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Nocturnal Animals follows Susan Morrow, a successful Los Angeles art gallery owner whose quiet, upscale life is disrupted when she receives a manuscript from Edward, the ex‑husband she left nearly two decades earlier. The film unfolds as a story‑within‑a‑story: Susan’s present‑day reality—her strained marriage, nagging regrets and resurfacing memories—is intercut with the brutal, pulpy novel Edward has written, which tells of a family’s nightmarish road trip that devolves into violent terror. As Susan reads, the book’s grim events begin to feel like a symbolic, personal reckoning, forcing her to confront choices, lost intimacy and whether the fiction is a form of revenge or a plea. Viewers should expect a slow‑burn psychological drama that marries tense, often violent thriller sequences with a moody, introspective emotional core. The film is atmospheric and unsettling, deliberately paced to let ambiguity and moral unease build; it asks questions about authorship, memory and the aftermath of personal betrayal. Content warnings: strong violence and disturbing scenes, adult themes and heavy emotional intensity.

Actors: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon

Director: Tom Ford

Runtime: 116 min

Genres: Drama, Thriller

7.1 /10 67 /100 7.5 /10 7.1 /10