Director: Dan Gilroy
Writer: Dan Gilroy
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton
Synopsis:
Nightcrawler is a thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism. Finding a group of freelance camera crews who film crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the cut-throat, dangerous realm of nightcrawling - where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars and cents. Aided by Rene Russo as Nina, a veteran of the blood-sport that is local TV news, Lou blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.
Nightcrawler is a thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism. Finding a group of freelance camera crews who film crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the cut-throat, dangerous realm of nightcrawling - where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars and cents. Aided by Rene Russo as Nina, a veteran of the blood-sport that is local TV news, Lou blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.
Review:
In his directorial debut, Dan Gilroy offers a chilling and disturbing look at crime journalism.
Louis Bloom, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is a lonely, twisted man. After he comes across a violent crime scene, he decides to try his hand at freelance camera work, and slithers through the nocturnal underbelly of Los Angeles searching for gory footage to sell to news teams, with disturbing results.
This character is not unlike anything we've seen before; echoes of the leads in 'Drive' and 'Taxi Driver' are felt through Gyllenhaal's performance, and utilized very effectively. We're introduced to Bloom as a thief, but one that if very quick witted and pensive, which makes our initial impression of him as a hard worker desperately trying to get a job both sympathetic and unsettling.
A role like this seems perfect for Gyllenhaal. Seeing the sleek and dark world crafted by Robert Elswit's brooding cinematography through his eyes makes you realize how lonely a city can make a person. He is, and always has been, an outsider, but will stop at nothing to get what sells. Gyllenhaal's portrayal of this is so powerful that you end up rooting for this sick character, but it also makes you re-evaluate morals and peoples personal rights. He also brings across the dark humour of the film, as his character has a stark cynicism that works well against his goal of the 'American Dream'.
A film that showcases Gyllenhaal's brilliant acting chops, 'Nightcrawler' is a wonderfully satirical look at the media industry today, and will make you think twice when you next turn on the news.
In his directorial debut, Dan Gilroy offers a chilling and disturbing look at crime journalism.
Louis Bloom, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is a lonely, twisted man. After he comes across a violent crime scene, he decides to try his hand at freelance camera work, and slithers through the nocturnal underbelly of Los Angeles searching for gory footage to sell to news teams, with disturbing results.
This character is not unlike anything we've seen before; echoes of the leads in 'Drive' and 'Taxi Driver' are felt through Gyllenhaal's performance, and utilized very effectively. We're introduced to Bloom as a thief, but one that if very quick witted and pensive, which makes our initial impression of him as a hard worker desperately trying to get a job both sympathetic and unsettling.
A role like this seems perfect for Gyllenhaal. Seeing the sleek and dark world crafted by Robert Elswit's brooding cinematography through his eyes makes you realize how lonely a city can make a person. He is, and always has been, an outsider, but will stop at nothing to get what sells. Gyllenhaal's portrayal of this is so powerful that you end up rooting for this sick character, but it also makes you re-evaluate morals and peoples personal rights. He also brings across the dark humour of the film, as his character has a stark cynicism that works well against his goal of the 'American Dream'.
A film that showcases Gyllenhaal's brilliant acting chops, 'Nightcrawler' is a wonderfully satirical look at the media industry today, and will make you think twice when you next turn on the news.
Star Rating: 4 Stars
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