Nope is a sci-fi western horror movie, a movie about movies, and a critique of the commodification of trauma. As it’s playing, Nope feels like two or three different movies in one, a slurry of ideas and note cards that never quite gel even as the whole product remains compelling to watch and a joy to look at. Jordan Peele’s latest is a bit of a mess, but it’s a pretty, well-acted, ambitious mess, and that counts for a lot these days.
I’ll discuss the plot as little as possible to allow readers the chance to experience the film for themselves. In brief: Otis Haywood Jr. (Daniel Kaluuya)—OJ for short, a name that pays off in about the most predictable way possible early on when a white woman hears his name for the first time—wants to save his family’s ranch. Haywood’s Hollywood...