Movie review
December 2, 2021 · 151 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Nightmare Alley is a neo-noir thriller about an ambitious grifter who joins a 1930s traveling carnival, masters mentalism cons, and rises to con the wealthy elite before his schemes collapse. The story tracks personal ambition, deception, and moral downfall in a gritty period setting. Creator statements frame it as a critique of the American Dream and capitalist ideals, but these remain background to the character-driven noir narrative with no visible identity or activist elements.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Nightmare Alley.
Woke representation / casting
Casting fits the story world and period without forced diversity or identity signaling.
Woke political dialogue
No modern activist or ideological dialogue present.
Identity-driven story themes
No identity-driven story themes or messaging.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Classic noir satire of greed and corruption without modern activist framing on capitalism, patriarchy, or identity politics.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No backlash claiming too woke or pushes identity politics; absent.
Creator track record context
del Toro publicly frames the title using anti-capitalist language.
Production
