A MENTALIST GOES TOO FAR IN "NIGHTMARE ALLEY".

For a movie named after a small encampment for homeless people, there is not a lot of screen time for it. I get ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning.

Based on a novel of the same name, "Nightmare Alley" tells a cautionary tale against the con of mentalism through following the rise and fall of Stan Carlisle, a man who joins the circus to escape the consequences regarding his father's suspicious death. His avoidance of responsibility leads to a corrupted path littered with pride and greed.

The film tells a remarkable story of the rise and fall of a simple con-man. He begins with nothing but a radio, a watch, and a small bag. However, he ends his story at rock bottom. He winds up with less than that, just a homeless drunk with an outdated set of skills. His greed makes him insatiable, and his pursuit of it leads to his downfall.

Every decision he makes is a poor one. None as catastrophic as crossing paths with Dr. Lilith Ritter, a vindictive psychologist with a curious mind. She is also a con artist. The only difference is her level of education. Deep down, they are the same person at different levels. He underestimates her. He doesn't see that she is more dangerous than he is.

Otherwise, he would not be so cruel on the night they meet. Director Guillermo del Toro explains their first interaction is a duel between the two, and he wins that battle. However, he is an unbecoming victor when he becomes unnecessarily cruel to her. All because she is intelligent enough to figure out his cheap trick. She doesn't forget that cruelty even as they develop a scheming partnership.

In the end, he is never more than a scam artist. No matter how much money he makes, how many chocolates he buys, how expensive his clothes are, he'll never cease to be a liar, con-man, and murderer.

Ritter, unlike Stan, is an educated professional. She is better at the game than he is. He's so gifted at reading signs. How did he miss the most obvious one of all? It shows us how powerful and persuasive a toxic person can be. His toxic person is Dr. Lilith Ritter, a woman he publicly humiliates on the night they meet. Granted, she started the sparring match by calling out his act first. However, he takes it too far, and she vows revenge.

She even tells him in the end, "You think you could take me, Stan. You're so blind, aren't are? You can't read the signs."

Life is a gift. Every moment filled with lessons and signs. It's up to you whether or not to heed the warnings. You make the choices that define the outcomes in your life. Do you rise or nosedive?