youngcollind Review of Nocturne

Nocturne (II) (2020)

Takes a familiar premise a bit overboard, but still lands the finale

[7/10 · 25 June 2021]

So I guess there's a genre forming around the "pressure for perfection gives way to madness" premise (Black Swan, Whiplash, Neon Demon, The Perfection, Starry Eyes, Suspiria 2018) and while it's hardly as overrun as zombies or slashers, it's starting to feel like familiar territory. This film stumbles a bit with it's depiction of reality, with heavy handed characters going through a near comical exaggeration of the pressures of pursuing music in post secondary. While taking the drama over the top may have been the point to a degree, it just doesn't take things far enough to be intentionally surreal. There are a couple nice hallucinatory sequences with pleasant Argento nods, but for the most part it's too grounded to be an all out fever dream. Otherwise, it's stylish and well put together, with a coherent plot and satisfying resolution, so well worth the watch even if it's not perfect.