Nocturnal Animals

For animals that are characteristically active at night, see Nocturnality.

Nocturnal Animals
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Tom Ford
Screenplay by	Tom Ford
Starring	Amy Adams Jake Gyllenhaal Michael Shannon Aaron Taylor-Johnson Isla Fisher Armie Hammer Laura Linney Andrea Riseborough Michael Sheen
Cinematography	Seamus McGarvey
Edited by	Joan Sobel
Music by	Abel Korzeniowski
Production company	Fade to Black Films
Distributed by	Focus Features
Release dates	September 2, 2016 (2016-09-02) (Venice) November 18, 2016 (2016-11-18) (United States)
Running time	116 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$22.5 million
Box office	$8.5 million

Nocturnal Animals is a 2016 American neo-noir psychological thriller film written, co-produced and directed by Tom Ford, based on the 1993 novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright. The film stars an ensemble cast featuring Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer, Laura Linney, Andrea Riseborough and Michael Sheen. Principal photography began on October 5, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.

It was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize. The film was released in the United States on November 18, 2016, by Focus Features.

Plot

Wealthy but troubled art gallery owner Susan Morrow receives the manuscript for a novel penned by her estranged ex-husband Edward Sheffield along with an invitation for dinner during Edward's upcoming visit to Los Angeles. Miserable with her deteriorating marriage to her unfaithful husband, Hutton, Susan begins to read the novel, which is both dedicated to her and named Nocturnal Animals after Edward's nickname for her.

The story follows Tony Hastings, a peaceful man who runs afoul of three local troublemakers – Ray Marcus, Lou and Turk – during a road trip through Texas. Forced off the road, Tony is powerless to stop Ray and Turk from driving away with his wife Laura and their daughter, India, leaving him with Lou, who forces him to drive Ray's car to an desolate stretch of land to be abandoned. Tony manages to evade the returning Ray and Turk, who arrive in search of him, and makes his way to a nearby farmhouse to ask for help. Detective Bobby Andes is assigned to the case and ultimately learns Laura and India were raped and murdered, finding their bodies near an abandoned shack, and leaving Tony wracked with guilt.

Shocked by the dark content and raw emotion of the novel, Susan reminisces about meeting Edward in college and their blossoming relationship, which Susan's domineering mother Anne Sutton objected to, claiming that Edward was not worthy of Susan's affections and that due to his romantic worldviews, he lacked the drive to actually achieve his goals, which Susan ignored, ultimately marrying Edward. After finding further evidence of Hutton's extramarital affair, Susan resumes reading the manuscript.

One year after his family's death, Tony is contacted by Andes and asked to identify Lou, who is charged as an accomplice in the murders of Laura and India. Turk had been fatally shot in a botched robbery, leaving Ray as the final culprit to be brought to justice. Andes arrests Ray, but is ultimately forced to release him as there is only circumstantial evidence of his involvement. On the verge of retirement and having been diagnosed with lung cancer, Andes wants to close the case and aids Tony in luring Ray and Lou to the shack where Laura and India were killed. Andes reluctantly shoots Lou when he attempts to escape, while Ray manages to run off.

Susan recalls her troubled marriage to Edward, which was strained by her frustration with his fledgling career and dismissive attitude towards his literary aspirations - ironically, the very things her mother had pointed out to her years earlier. Edward attempts to repair their relationship, but it culminates with Susan cheating on him with Hutton and divorcing Edward to marry him, having aborted Edward's child.

In the novel, Tony tracks Ray down alone and the two have a violent confrontation, in which Ray admits to raping and murdering Tony's wife and daughter. Tony fatally shoots him, but is blinded by a blow to the head in the process and stumbles outside, only to accidentally discharge his gun into his stomach, ultimately dying of his wounds.

Susan finishes the novel, and writes to Edward congratulating him and suggesting they meet to talk. Edward responds inviting her to name the time and place, and Susan arranges a rendezvous at a fashionable restaurant, arriving first. As the evening wears on, Edward fails to appear, leaving her sitting alone.

Cast

• 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
• Armie Hammer as Hutton Morrow
• Laura Linney as Anne Sutton
• Andrea Riseborough as Alessia Holt
• Michael Sheen as Carlos Holt
• Ellie Bamber as India Hastings
• Robert Aramayo as Turk
• Kristin Bauer van Straten as Samantha Van Helsing
• Karl Glusman as Lou
• Jena Malone as Sage Ross
• Zawe Ashton as Alex

Production

On March 24, 2015, it was announced that Smoke House Pictures' partners George Clooney and Grant Heslov would be producing a thriller Nocturnal Animals, based on Austin Wright's 1993 novel Tony and Susan. Tom Ford was set to direct the film based on his own script. On the next day, Jake Gyllenhaal was set to star for the lead roles Edward and Tony, while Amy Adams was in talks for the female lead role Susan, and sources confirmed that Joaquin Phoenix and Aaron Taylor-Johnson were also being eyed for different roles. Focus Features acquired the US distribution rights to the film on May 17, 2015, while Universal Pictures would handle the international distribution. Focus' deal was made with $20 million, making this a biggest deal of 2015 Cannes Film Festival and one of the biggest in the last few years. On August 6, 2015, Taylor-Johnson was confirmed for the role of a mysterious person who poses a threat to Gyllenhaal's Tony character's family, along with Michael Shannon also added to the cast to play a detective investigating the violent incident. On August 28, 2015, Armie Hammer also joined the cast of the film to play Walker Morrow, Adam's character's husband. On September 9, 2015, Isla Fisher joined the film to play Laura Hastings, Tony's wife. On September 18, 2015, Ellie Bamber was cast in the film to play Tony's daughter. On September 30, 2015, Robert Aramayo was added to the cast. On October 5, 2015, Karl Glusman signed on to star in the film. On October 8, 2015, Peter Nyong'o was also cast in the film.

Principal photography on the film began on October 5, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. It wrapped up on December 5, 2015.

Release

Nocturnal Animals had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2016. The film also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2016 and at the BFI London Film Festival on October 14, 2016.

The film was released in the United States on November 18, 2016.

Reception

Box office

As of November 27, 2016, Nocturnal Animals has grossed $1.7 million in North America and $6.8 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $8.5 million.

Critical response

Nocturnal Animals received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 72%, based on 143 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Well-acted and lovely to look at, Nocturnal Animals further underscores writer-director Tom Ford's distinctive visual and narrative skill." On Metacritic the film has a normalized score of 69 out of 100, based on 44 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Owen Gleiberman of Variety praised the film, stating "Tom Ford's first film since A Single Man is another winner" and complemented the performances of Gyllenhaal, Adams, Shannon and Taylor-Johnson. Geoffrey Macnab of the The Independent awarded the film five stars, praising the performances and the direction and stating "Nocturnal Animals is extraordinarily deft in the way it combines romanticism and bleakness. It’s a film that easily could have slipped into extreme pretentiousness but it never puts a foot wrong."

Accolades

Awards
Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Recipient(s)	Result	Ref(s)
Hollywood Film Awards	November 6, 2016	Hollywood Breakthrough Director Award	Tom Ford	Won
Venice Film Festival	September 10, 2016	Grand Jury Prize		Won
		Golden Lion		Nominated

External links

• Nocturnal Animals at IMDb
• Nocturnal Animals at Rotten Tomatoes
• Nocturnal Animals at Metacritic