Imbued throughout with noir trademarks and del Toro's masterful storytelling right from its opening frames, Nightmare Alley is an elegant and sumptuous film to savour. Following the rise and fall of an enigmatic drifter (Bradley Cooper) who hooks up with a carnival and learns the tricks of the clairvoyant act, which he then takes to the monied clients of the big city and teams up/locks horns with a cool psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett). The film is a gorgeously-designed and shot period piece (1930s/40s) that is effortless to watch with its easy flow and propulsive narrative. Del Toro's cinematic intelligence and visual flair are fully evident from the early earthy carnival sequences to the wealthy stylings later on. Both Cooper and Blanchett utterly inhabit their characters and are mesmerising to watch, especially when together, but del Toro also fills the story with smaller powerful female characters and performances, with Toni Collette and Mary Steenburgen particularly impressive. Once set up, the fall from grace might be a little too inevitable, but it is delivered with considerable relish and panache, making the stylish journey shown in Nightmare Alley very satisfying indeed.
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