Today’s quick review: Nightcrawler. Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a thief looking for a change of profession, finds his calling as a stringer, selling footage of crime scenes and accidents to a Los Angeles news station. Thanks to his talented eye and loose sense of ethics, Louis is able to command top-dollar prices from Nina Romina (Rene Russo), the station’s director. But his activities soon cross the line from reporting the news to making it.
Nightcrawler is a crime thriler about the nocturnal world of freelance TV journalism. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Louis Bloom, an ambitious man willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead in a cutthroat business. Nightcrawler explores journalistic ethics, sensationalism, and the psychology of an outsider with a sharp mind and no boundaries. Nightcrawler’s odd protagonist and unique subject matter make a fascinating and unsettling watch.
The core of Nightcrawler is the character of Louis Bloom. Outwardly, Louis is a sociable and eager young man, a quick study who strives for the top. But this thin veneer just barely disguises who he is on the inside: a man without empathy who will do anything to get what he wants. Jake Gyllenhaal does an excellent job of capturing both sides of the character, and seeing Louis step further and further over the line is the main appeal of the movie.
Still, Nightcrawler does not take its story as far as other movies in the same vein. It lacks the raw suspense of other thrillers, while its peek into Louis’ psychology is not as harrowing or surreal as a full-blown psychogical drama. Nightcrawler chooses to tell a grounded and disturbingly plausible story, focusing on the moral conflict rather than a flashy plot or narrative tricks. It is effective, but it may not be what some viewers are expecting.
How much you get out of Nightcrawler will depend on your taste in drama. The macabre subject matter of the movie will put off some viewers, while the relatively low-key conflict may make it seem tame to viewers who are used to outright horror. But for the right viewer, one with a taste for dark subject matter handled with a subtle touch, Nightcrawler will make for a compelling watch.
For a less gruesome indictment of the media, try Mad City. For a crime drama with a similar sense of detachment, try Drive or Only God Forgives. For a more spirited, satirical, and violent crime movie, try American Psycho. For a psychological drama that goes farther over the line, try The Machinist or Joker.
7.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for a unique story and a skillful lead.