Nightmare Alley Parent Guide

On the run from a dark, mysterious, and still-smoldering past, Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) finds himself down and way out in a rural America caught in the death grip of the Great Depression. Luckily for Carlisle, he soon finds work at a travelling carnival, run by the unscrupulous but efficient Clem Hoately (Willem Dafoe). The carnival features a vibrant “freak show” headed by the resident “geek” (Paul Anderson), a dubious magic act starring Zeena (Toni Collette), strongman Bruno (Ron Perlman), and a shocking electricity show with Molly (Rooney Mara). Although originally hired for physical labor, Carlisle soon learns some tricks from Zeena’s lover, the inebriated magician Pete (David Strathairn). He is particularly interested in the fine art of mentalism – staged telepathy and spirit communication, built on an ingenious system of hidden signals and astute assumptions. Carlisle starts to dream, hatching plans that are bigger and more polished than this dirty little travelling circus; plans which also involve him and Molly making a splash in ritzy New York clubs. But while the big city promises big money, it comes with much larger pitfalls. Pitfalls which will swallow Carlisle and Molly whole if he’s not careful.

A ponderous look at the dark underbelly of sideshow spiritualism and so-called mentalist performances, Nightmare Alley is, in part, a classic tragedy: good people come to a bad end. The other parts, however, are much more about the price of hubris and cruelty. Carlisle is compelling as a character partially because, for all his flair and brilliant showmanship, he is a thoroughly unpleasant man, and all his flashy conjuration merely brings his filthy little chickens home to roost.

As you may imagine, this is not exactly a family Christmas romp. For starters, it’s directed by the brilliant Guillermo Del Toro, and while he is a fascinating director, he isn’t renowned for family-friendly entertainment. This movie contains several scenes of gruesome violence, implied sexual content, profanity, and addiction. These flaws all come with serious consequences, but unless you’re prepared for the joys of a geek show – namely, a man biting the head off live chickens – this might not be the film for you.

But, if you’ve got the stomach for it, Nightmare Alley is a captivating film. The plot marches right along, carrying you with it, immersing you in the joys and terrors of art-deco New York in the late 1930’s and early 40’s. It drags its unfortunate characters through even worse horrors – characters who have to learn the hard way exactly what it profits a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul.