Nocturnal Animals is a harrowing exploration of trauma, infidelity, and regret. Directed by Tom Ford, this film, based on Austin Wright’s novel Tony and Susan, paints a bleak picture of emotional devastation. Set in Los Angeles and Texas, it follows a similar narrative arc to the book, telling a story of love lost and the lasting impact of past mistakes. Amy Adams stars as Susan Morrow, a gallery owner struggling with unhappiness. Her husband, Hutton (Armie Hammer), epitomizes the image of wealthy elegance, but secretly, he is spiraling into financial ruin. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Edward Sheffield, Susan’s ex-husband, who sends her a manuscript for his latest novel, Nocturnal Animals. In the novel, Gyllenhaal also portrays Tony Hastings, the protagonist of Edward’s book. Supporting roles include Michael Shannon as Bobby Andes, a detective in Edward’s novel, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the sadistic antagonist, Ray Marcus.
The narrative weaves between Susan’s present life and the dark, violent world of Edward’s novel. As Susan reads Edward’s manuscript, the lines between her past relationship with him and the tragic tale of Nocturnal Animals begin to blur. The ending, especially, is a culmination of revenge and pain. Let’s break down what happens at the conclusion of the film.
Nocturnal Animals Ending Explained: Susan Morrow’s Opening Night
The film begins with a strikingly controversial sequence where plus-sized women perform a naked dance on a gallery stage, which initially shocks the viewer. These women, after their dance, lie motionless on platforms scattered across the gallery, creating a haunting visual. This unsettling opening sets the tone for Susan Morrow’s life—unfulfilled and alienating, despite the high-profile nature of her art gallery. Susan is miserable despite the success of her opening, and even her grand Los Angeles home offers no comfort.
The morning after the event, Susan receives a package from her ex-husband Edward. It contains a manuscript for his new novel, Nocturnal Animals, along with a note. Edward’s words, read by Susan’s butler, express how his heartbreak over their relationship led him to write this novel, and he hopes Susan will be the first to read it. The note seems to offer the possibility of reconciliation, though Susan’s complicated emotions suggest otherwise.
The Special Dedication
Later, at a dinner party, Susan and her husband, Hutton, interact with their friends Alessia and Carlos. Susan, feeling increasingly disconnected from her own life, is reminded by Carlos that her art opening was a success, yet she calls herself a “fraud.” As she returns home that night, she discovers that the manuscript of Nocturnal Animals is dedicated to her. Edward’s decision to dedicate the book to Susan stirs something inside her, and for a moment, she feels a flicker of hope that perhaps there is still something between them.
Edward’s novel, within the film, tells the tragic story of Tony Hastings, his wife Laura, and their daughter India, who are attacked during a road trip to Marfa, Texas. The family is terrorized by three men—Ray, Turk, and Lou—who eventually kidnap Laura and India, leaving Tony helpless and unable to prevent their abduction. As Tony grapples with this trauma, Susan becomes increasingly disturbed by the contents of the manuscript.
The Plot Unfolds
As the narrative in Nocturnal Animals deepens, Tony is left stranded in the middle of nowhere, abandoned by the thugs. He eventually encounters a house and is picked up by the police. Detective Bobby Andes helps Tony trace his steps back to the place where he was abandoned, leading them to the bodies of Laura and India. The tragic scene shakes Tony to his core, and the details of their deaths—Laura’s skull fracture and India’s suffocation—are revealed.
Susan, reading the novel, cannot help but see parallels between India Hastings and her own daughter, Samantha. In a moment of panic, she calls Samantha to ensure she is safe, though we see that Samantha is unaware of the intensity of her mother’s concern.
In the midst of this, Susan has a flashback to her college years, recalling the moment she met Edward while studying at Columbia. At the time, Susan was dismissive of Edward’s aspirations to become a writer, believing herself to be more practical. The revelation that the Hastings family’s names are drawn from Susan and Edward’s hometown in Texas adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
A Mother’s Warning
As the investigation into the murders continues, Detective Andes uncovers a trailer where the violent events took place. Meanwhile, Susan has a flashback to a conversation with her mother, Anne, who had warned her against marrying Edward. Anne predicted that Edward would never be able to provide the material comforts Susan desired, and she advised her daughter to reconsider. At the time, Susan rejected this advice, but with the benefit of hindsight, the audience could see how prophetic Anne’s words were.
Later, in the present, Susan emails Edward, telling him that the novel was devastating and deeply moving. She requests to meet him for drinks, signaling a desire to reconnect. She becomes consumed by thoughts of Edward and reflects on how the manuscript has affected her.
Paintings and Revelation
As the investigation in Nocturnal Animals progresses, Detective Andes sends Tony pictures of one of the criminals, Turk, but Tony cannot recognize him due to his trauma. A year later, Tony is notified that one of the assailants, Turk, has been killed, and Lou has been captured. After her meeting, Susan reflects on the novel, specifically its dedication to her, and how Edward used to call her a “nocturnal animal” due to her difficulty with sleep. She reveals to her assistant that Edward was once deeply important to her, but she did something unforgivable to him.
In the gallery, Susan stumbles upon a typography art piece that simply reads “REVENGE.” This phrase unsettles her, but she cannot yet fully comprehend why. As Susan’s self-reflection deepens, she begins to grasp that the novel is not just about trauma but also about Edward’s revenge, a revenge that mirrors the tragic events in the book.
Approaching the Conclusion
The climax of Edward’s novel sees Detective Andes and Tony go after Ray for questioning. In this tense sequence, Ray is a master manipulator, convincing everyone of his innocence while his cold eyes betray his true nature. As Tony pushes him for answers, Ray remains unsettlingly calm. In a flashback, Susan remembers a painful argument with Edward after she criticized his first novel. The cruelty of her words and her dismissive attitude toward his aspirations reflect the deep chasm in their relationship.
In the novel, Andes and Tony pursue Ray and Lou in a violent confrontation, during which Andes kills Lou in cold blood. This moment, as Susan reads it, is followed by a bird crashing into her window, a symbolic representation of death and destruction.
Susan’s thoughts are interrupted by a flashback to when she underwent an abortion, an experience she shared with Edward. While Edward watches them from a distance, Hutton comforts her. The trauma of her actions continues to haunt her, as she grapples with the emotional fallout of her choices.
Back in the novel, Tony’s emotional turmoil leads him to a confrontation with Ray, where Ray admits to the brutal murders of Laura and India. As the tension rises, Tony’s resolve to exact revenge becomes clearer. However, Ray surprises Tony with a hidden weapon and a fire poker, and in the ensuing struggle, both men sustained injuries.
In the grand finale of the novel, Tony shoots Ray as he is struck with the poker. However, the gunshot wounds Tony, and he slowly dies from his injuries. As Susan reads the final moments of Nocturnal Animals, she whispers Edward’s name, overcome with emotion.
The Final Realization
The next day, Susan awakens with a newfound sense of love for Edward. She dresses in a beautiful green dress, ready to meet him for drinks. However, as time passes and Edward does not show up, Susan’s face hardens, and the reality of the situation sinks in. Edward’s novel was not an act of reconciliation but a calculated act of revenge, a final message about the profound damage she caused.
In the final moments, Susan understands the depth of Edward’s anger. The devastating truth is that the novel was his way of exposing how completely he has been broken by her actions and the coldness with which she treated him.
Revenge as Art
Edward’s revenge unfolds not only in the plot of his novel but also in his act of creating something beautiful, a work of art that exposes Susan’s deepest flaws. As an artist, Edward seeks to prove his worth to the woman who never believed in him. Susan’s narcissism and inability to understand the depth of his pain prevent her from recognizing the art as an expression of vengeance. The “REVENGE” painting is a subtle clue to her eventual realization, underscoring how deeply Edward’s hurt has permeated his art.
Like Tony in the novel, Edward’s revenge is thorough, devastating, and final.
Susan’s inner conflict is revealed throughout the film. Edward once saw potential in her, believing she had creativity and kindness. Yet, Susan sees herself as incapable of artistry. She reflects on the way she abandoned Edward for a wealthier, more secure future with Hutton, only to find herself stuck in a life devoid of meaning. The tragic irony is that Susan’s actions mirror those of her mother, whose warnings she had dismissed in her youth.
The Past Is Ever Present
Nocturnal Animals reminds us that the past is never fully behind us. Tony cannot move on from the horrific events he endured, and Edward’s memories of Susan linger long after their relationship ends. The trauma of their past has shaped both their lives, and it takes drastic measures for them to confront and, in some ways, exorcise it. However, the cost of this emotional reckoning is immense, leaving them both irrevocably scarred.
For Susan, the realization that she cannot escape the consequences of her actions is a devastating moment. Her trauma is fossilized, and she must now carry the burden of guilt and regret, knowing that she can never undo the damage she caused.
