It is universally accepted fact that Guillermo del Toro's cinema is visual feast and always a fascinating take on imagination and story telling! His latest offering released last year was nominated for Oscars in four categories including the Best Film! This time he chose psychological thriller meets noir territory, a re-adaptation take on William Lindsay Greesham's novel. The first one was made by Edmund Goulding in 1947.
Before you immerse yourself in the full circle of dark rollercoaster, the film appeal to your senses for its glorious production design and stunning cinematography. It's a journey of small time crook Stan Carlisle, starting from one crime leading to another; favoring his fortune but gradually as inevitable fall. Bradley Cooper is not what I expect for such a role, but then in several scenes he made me rethink! Especially his act in later half and that last striking and impressive ending shot! The rest of the cast perfectly fits in the mould and delivered performances what we expect from them: Cate Blanchett plays here psychiatrist Doctor, the first challenger to Stan's clairvoyant act and finally his nemesis. William Defoe as his symbolic soothsayer, Toni Collette as catalyst, David Strathairn as his mentor, Rooney Mara as his life partner and Richard Jenkins as his first difficult riddle.
Del Toro' used metaphorical motif of Enoch, an unusual newborn baby kept in glass jar that we often witness in Carnival! His grotesque third eye is perhaps evident alter ego to Stan's clairvoyant act! Like those well made noir of their time, the film also features a genuine character who warns the protagonist with that golden piece of advise: "When a man believes his own lies, starts believing that he has the power, he's got shuteye. Because now he believes it's all true. And people get hurt. Good, God-fearing people. And then you lie. You lie. And when the lies end, there it is. The face of God, staring at you straight. No matter where you turn. No man can outrun God, Stan.'
It's a kind of movie, I love to witness on big screen! The period framing, production design, camera work and technical aspects of the film is so glorious and impressive!
