Sick, cruel and disgusting, but somehow the best film of 2014

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2014)

Jake Gyllenhaal is not getting an Academy Award for this role, but he damn well should. This is one of the most amazing performances I have ever seen in a movie, I've never seen a character be so uneasy and so disturbingly entertaining at the same time. It's that empty gaze that does it, you keep wondering about the morality of a character that spends his time filming traffic/murder victims in their dying moments just so he can sell it to the news. We know he's doing terrible things, but does he? We understand that he treats everyone around him like garbage, but it seems like he genuinely doesn't. This powerful effect is very much helped by the absence of police interference until well into the third act. It really brings home the point that everyone's okay with Louis' wrongdoings, they even applaud them. Is Louis evil, or just a guy who really likes to follow and cash in on society's (disturbing) trends? The whole ending is just really awful (in a good way), but it's just based on Louis thinking he has a business to run. No lust for blood, no kick out of violence, it's just like he says: he's just doing his job. That whole concept is endlessly fascinating to me, and while I rarely speak for others: I'm sure it will be to you. This is one of the few movies that I just can't imagine anyone could hate. Best movie of the year for me.