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 is scheduled to be released on November 18, 2016, by Focus Features.
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 abandoned 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.