Jake Gyllenhaal shines in a dull movie!

Rating: 7/10 (14 March 2015)

All the anticipation and plaudits surrounding 'Nightcrawler' suggested this film is a classic, something being compared to 'Taxidriver' and other great movies that focus on a troubled character who dis-integrates against the backdrop of an immoral society. Yet 'Nightcrawler' was not a study that went deep enough into either the thwarted mind of Lou Bloom or even the violence that engulfs the city and is manipulated by television stations to boost ratings. There are so many ideas in this movie yet none of them were adequately explored. The script relies entirely on one of the most gifted actors the silver screen has ever seen; Jake Gyllenhaal. He delivers an edgy and chilling performance as a freelance journalist who becomes consumed by his own ambition and macabre that surrounds the city at night. Rene Russo and Riz Ahmed are great but Jake's performance is on par with Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro, as he brings his sociopath character to life in so many ways. However the film itself is overrated, and how it has a higher IMDb rating than two other more superior Jake Gyllenhaal starrier 'Enemy' and 'Zodiac' is beyond me. Maybe this is in itself is evidence that perception is everything. (@zulfmanauthor)