Nightcrawler Movie Review
"The true price of something is what you're willing to pay for it."
-Louis Bloom
Bravo to Jake Gyllenhaal for this performance. Nightcrawler was one of those films that really sneaks up on you. I had been indifferent about Gyllenhaal up until the past few years with movies like End of Watch and Prisoners which I enjoyed very much. He had some impressive performances in these two films but the trailer for Nightcrawler didn't really have me sold, nonetheless I gave him the benefit of the doubt and was blown away. Considering it is Academy Awards season I can't help but feel that Gyllenhaal may have been snubbed by not getting a nomination for his role in this film. The film did get some nominations but I was still a bit disappointed by this. The film was written and directed by Dan Gilroy and co-stars Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, and Riz Ahmed.
Nightcrawler introduces us to Louis Bloom in a very shady confrontation with a private security guard. From the start we see that he's not all there in the head. He's desperate for work and seems to be willing to do just about anything for a job. Despite being incredibly articulate and sophisticated in his speech he still can't get a job. One night on his way home he comes across a car accident on the highway and pulls over out of curiosity. As cops are pulling a woman out of the burning car Lou also sees two men recording the accident up close as well as the rescue. One of these men is Joe Loder, played by Bill Paxton, who does this for a living. It's called nightcrawling, where people sell footage of crimes and accidents to news outlets. The bloodier and more violent, the more the footage is usually worth. Lou instantly becomes fascinated with the idea and sets out to buy his first camera.
From the start I really loved this film and I thought Gyllengaal was breathtaking. There was a psychotic glimmer in his eye and in his mannerisms, oddly reminiscent of Robert De Niro's classic role in Taxi Driver. Lou was a fantastic liar and acted swiftly to further his success no matter who he hurt around him. He delves head first into the world of crime journalism in Los Angeles with no prior skills at his disposal. Rick and Nina come along for the ride and experience first-hand what Lou is really capable of. Rick is a gullible young man who is charmed by Lou and is also desperate for a job. He accepts the position as Lou's assistant for a measly 30 dollars a night and drives them to all the incident locations with the help of a police radio. Nina is the head of a failing news station that starts to regularly buy footage from Lou and is somewhat black mailed into a continuing personal and professional relationship with Lou. She is not morally pure either as she finds dirty angles and plays on the sad truths of media and class struggles. Despite his character being a scum bag, he's also very smooth and meticulous and Gylenhaal does a great job in letting us inside Lou's head. Lou not only crosses moral lines but legal ones as well and blurs the line between observer and participant of the very crimes he's profiting from.
I loved the cinematography of the film. I loved the performances in this film. I loved the originality of the script. It was exceptional in many ways, with an ending that left me smiling and shaking my head at the same time. It definitely deserved the nomination for best original screenplay and like I mentioned previously, Gylenhaal was deserving of a Best Actor in a Lead Role nomination. Needless to say it was one of my favorite films of the year because it was very unique. Nothing like a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat and that also deliver scenes that feel like a punch in the stomach. Nightcrawler for me gets a 9 out of 10 and I am very confident with that score.
Nightcrawler introduces us to Louis Bloom in a very shady confrontation with a private security guard. From the start we see that he's not all there in the head. He's desperate for work and seems to be willing to do just about anything for a job. Despite being incredibly articulate and sophisticated in his speech he still can't get a job. One night on his way home he comes across a car accident on the highway and pulls over out of curiosity. As cops are pulling a woman out of the burning car Lou also sees two men recording the accident up close as well as the rescue. One of these men is Joe Loder, played by Bill Paxton, who does this for a living. It's called nightcrawling, where people sell footage of crimes and accidents to news outlets. The bloodier and more violent, the more the footage is usually worth. Lou instantly becomes fascinated with the idea and sets out to buy his first camera.
From the start I really loved this film and I thought Gyllengaal was breathtaking. There was a psychotic glimmer in his eye and in his mannerisms, oddly reminiscent of Robert De Niro's classic role in Taxi Driver. Lou was a fantastic liar and acted swiftly to further his success no matter who he hurt around him. He delves head first into the world of crime journalism in Los Angeles with no prior skills at his disposal. Rick and Nina come along for the ride and experience first-hand what Lou is really capable of. Rick is a gullible young man who is charmed by Lou and is also desperate for a job. He accepts the position as Lou's assistant for a measly 30 dollars a night and drives them to all the incident locations with the help of a police radio. Nina is the head of a failing news station that starts to regularly buy footage from Lou and is somewhat black mailed into a continuing personal and professional relationship with Lou. She is not morally pure either as she finds dirty angles and plays on the sad truths of media and class struggles. Despite his character being a scum bag, he's also very smooth and meticulous and Gylenhaal does a great job in letting us inside Lou's head. Lou not only crosses moral lines but legal ones as well and blurs the line between observer and participant of the very crimes he's profiting from.
I loved the cinematography of the film. I loved the performances in this film. I loved the originality of the script. It was exceptional in many ways, with an ending that left me smiling and shaking my head at the same time. It definitely deserved the nomination for best original screenplay and like I mentioned previously, Gylenhaal was deserving of a Best Actor in a Lead Role nomination. Needless to say it was one of my favorite films of the year because it was very unique. Nothing like a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat and that also deliver scenes that feel like a punch in the stomach. Nightcrawler for me gets a 9 out of 10 and I am very confident with that score.
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