Down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle endears himself to a clairvoyant and her husband at a traveling carnival.
Using newly acquired knowledge gained from the couple, Carlisle crafts a golden ticket to success by swindling the elite and wealthy.
Hoping to hit big, he soon plans a scheme to con a dangerous tycoon with help from a mysterious psychiatrist who might be his most formidable opponent yet..........
I've never been the biggest fam of Del Toro, Pans Labyrinth and Hellboy are amazing movies, but films like Crimson Peak, and Pacific Rim, just didn't hit the mark with me. In fact, they were downright boring in my eyes. And then there are all those horror films he likes to attach his name to.
So i went in to this with very low expectations, and having never seen any trailers, or even reading the source material, I has no idea what was in store for me.
The opening was very odd,, the whole film is an obvious homage to the Film Noir of the forties and fifties, but as soon as I heard Defoe speak, this film suddenly fell into place and it was a blast from beginning to end.
It's a simple enough story, trying to trick guilt racked people in to experiencing some sort of solace, feeding of the sadness of people who are eternally mourning, but doing a wonderful and believable job as doing it.
But Stanton very quickly knows that this is a case cow, and he wants to milk it, regardless of the repercussions and warnings he receives from his colleagues.
Cooper is great as the selfish Stanton, he is at once monstrous and empathetic, leading to many surprises in the film. The story hints at some sort of monster inside of him, but it simmers very subconsciously in his role.
Once Blanchett arrives on screen, Cooper is sidelined by her, her psychiatrist almost feeling like a gangsters mole when they first have a meeting at her office. She supplies him with information, and he executes it with sincere glee, much to his put upon partner, Molly (Rooney Mara) who knows that his greed will be his undoing, as do the viewers.
Del Toro relishes in Stantons downfall, and it's really uncomfortable viewing, seeing the smug Stanton keep taking on more that he can handle.
The final third is beautifully sinister, the walls are crumbling down, and all he can do is watch, and the audience feel as helpless as him.
And the final scene is breathtaking, clever, and frankly satisfying.
It's easily his best film since Pans Labyrinth, and if it's not in my top ten of 2022, it's going to be a great year for cinema.
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