This was my immediately posted reaction to this film…
Just come out of Nightmare Alley ( G del Toro latest). I THINK that it JUST avoided being a total batshit crazy, wildly OTT, hysterical camp fest...but only just...
This was a richly exotic mix of a film. It both paid tribute to many genres (Film Noir in particular) with the stunning Cate Blanchet (sorry, the always stunning Cate B!) as a femme fatale who would give Phyllis Dietrichson a run for her money.
The plot was richly elaborate and while the film was long, it was very well paced and did not drag anywhere. Cooper was superb as the anti-hero who, nevertheless is in horribly appropriate ending with its tribute/acknowledgment of Todd Browning’s Freaks, gained a degree of sympathy from us.
The visuals are wonderful and the world conjured up is both grimly realistic and yet very vividly cinematic and artificial - if that makes sense. Lighting/colour/mise-en-scene are superb and a major element in the success of the film.
Good AND dark fun