Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Kernel Score: 83% · 8,200 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Drama, Thriller
Released: 2016-11-04
Runtime: 116 minutes
Is Nocturnal Animals worth watching?
Depends on your taste. Tom Ford's stylish, cold thriller about a woman reading her ex-husband's violent novel. It looks beautiful and is skilfully acted, but it's bleak, tough to watch in places, and its ending leaves some viewers cold.
Watch it if you
- like stylish, adult thrillers
- enjoy stories within stories
- appreciate polished, cold filmmaking
Skip it if you
- dislike violent and upsetting scenes
- want a satisfying, resolved ending
Best for: Solo night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Nocturnal Animals
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Susan Morrow receives a book manuscript from her ex-husband – a man she left 20 years earlier – asking for her opinion of his writing. As she reads, she is drawn into the fictional life of Tony Hastings, a mathematics professor whose family vacation turns violent.
Nocturnal Animals parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that Nocturnal Animals is an intense psychological thriller involving rape, murder, hostage situations, and revenge, rated R for mature audiences.
- Violence & scariness: Intense — The story-within-a-story includes a violent carjacking, hostage-taking, rape and murder, plus revenge killings.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Moderate — Includes cheating and rape-related content as central plot elements.
- Language: Moderate — R-rated drama/thriller typically contains strong profanity.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Nocturnal Animals
If you liked Nocturnal Animals, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Gone Girl (2014) — 90%: A sleek, twisty thriller about a damaged relationship.
- A Single Man (2009) — 83%: Tom Ford's first film, elegant and sad.
- Cape Fear (1991) — 84%: A tense thriller about a family under threat.
- Shutter Island (2010) — 91%: A moody thriller where reality is hard to trust.
- Room (2015) — 89%: Dark story of captivity and survival.
Director
Cast
- Amy Adams as Susan Morrow
- Jake Gyllenhaal as Tony Hastings / Edward Sheffield
- Michael Shannon as Bobby Andes
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Ray Marcus
- Isla Fisher as Laura Hastings
- Ellie Bamber as India Hastings
- Armie Hammer as Hutton Morrow
- Karl Glusman as Lou
- Robert Aramayo as Turk
- Laura Linney as Anne Sutton
Nocturnal Animals FAQ
Is Nocturnal Animals worth watching?
Depends on your taste. Tom Ford's stylish, cold thriller about a woman reading her ex-husband's violent novel. It looks beautiful and is skilfully acted, but it's bleak, tough to watch in places, and its ending leaves some viewers cold.
Where can I watch Nocturnal Animals?
In the US you can rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Nocturnal Animals OK for kids?
Nocturnal Animals is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Nocturnal Animals is an intense psychological thriller involving rape, murder, hostage situations, and revenge, rated R for mature audiences.
What movies are like Nocturnal Animals?
If you liked Nocturnal Animals, try Gone Girl, A Single Man, Cape Fear and Shutter Island.