Love, art, and vengeance converge in “Nocturnal Animals,” a drama by fashion designer-turned writer/director, Tom Ford. And whether this film works for you, Ford’s passion for his project is evident in the polished material on screen. It may be understated and slightly unrealized at times, but it never fails to be intrinsically interesting. Adapted from the novel “Tony and Susan,” by Austin Wright, transcending themes of karma, violence and success help to explain the broader picture that “Nocturnal Animals” is trying to paint.

One could be very turned off by this movie from its opening scene alone—shots (in slow motion, of course) of completely naked, morbidly obese women parading around with sparklers and pom-poms; and though it’s used as a set piece for Susan’s (Amy Adams) art exhibit, it is rather unnecessary and grotesque, if we’re being honest.

We learn quickly of Susan’s plush life, funded by her husband, in a Los Angeles mansion covered in expensive art and furniture. A personal assistant delivers and opens a package sent to her: A rough-draft novel sent by her ex-husband, Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), titled “Nocturnal Animals.” A note accompanying the package leaves Susan distraught and anxious to read, an act which unravels the past, present, and—you guessed it—the future.

Susan begins reading, and the film ingeniously shifts narratives from her perspective to Edward’s novel. In the novel, we meet Tony Hastings (also, Jake Gyllenhaal), his sweet, good-natured wife, Laura (Isla Fisher) and his less-than-affectionate daughter, Helen (Ellie Bamber), who is assumed to be a loving and sweet girl ridden by typical teenage angst. In other words, you should (and will) empathize with all three of these characters immediately, and that’s also due to the tragic events which unfold just minutes later during their family road trip to West Texas. The family finds themselves chased and eventually shoved off the side of the road by three creepy and intimidating (sketchy, too, for the millennials reading this) men who you’d likely not want to encounter on a late-night drive. The trio of creeps is led by Ray (Aaron Taylor Johnson), who does way too good of a job conveying that eerie, disturbing character. After a scuffle over a flat tire ensues, Tony’s wife and daughter end up being driven away by two of the thugs, leaving Tony with thug number three.

Flashback to reality. After reading parts of the novel, Susan begins to reminisce about her previous relationship with Edward, while also learning of the infidelity within her current marriage. In these flashbacks, the film reveals Edward as loving and encouraging, pressing Susan to pursue art for pure reasons. She presses back, wanting him to be more practical and more realistic. We see just how their relationship begins and ends, which is the point in the film where everything starts to tie together.

It's genius, really. As the film progresses, parallels between the various narrative threads begin to string together one intelligent, cohesive, and tragic story. Some moments in the film are weaker than others, and it’s obvious which narrative (I’ll just go ahead and tell you: Edward’s novel) is most intriguing. But how this all relates to the present, as this novel was indeed dedicated to Susan, is exciting too, since we know the story acts a fictionalized and dramatized version of something that happened to Edward and Susan. Just watch it, I won’t spoil it.

There’s more “reading between the lines” to be done in “Nocturnal Animals” than your average film, but that is by design. It is a design that is so unique and eye-catching—nods to Ford. The narrative structure is why this film is a success for me. But its casting, performances, writing and directing are all excellent, too. It’s flawed, yes, but it has an ambitious gimmick that works, a great ensemble cast and it’s just damn entertaining. Go see it, now!

I give "Nocturnal Animals" a 9/10.