Twisted, dark, psychotic and fascinating

Rating: 8/10 (23 January 2015)

I wasn't sure what to expect from Nightcrawler. Critics had raved about it but it was essentially shut out of the Academy Awards so I was going in without expecting much. What a terrific surprise. This is a gritty, dark and twisted thriller with twists and turns you don't expect and a story that literally keeps you on the edge of your seat just by storytelling and not by using special effects or even scenes of action. It is the definition of a thriller and certainly has undertones of social commentary about what is acceptable and what is "news." The film is undeniably creepy. There is something off about our main character and its not the sort of story where you "root" for a hero but rather you're a witness to something strange that you can't turn away from. Maybe that's the brilliance of Nightcrawler. The entire film focuses on the old expression "if it bleeds, it leads" and how we are entranced by suffering and gore and we are sitting there watching this guy immerse himself in that world and we are once again transfixed by it. The more I think about this movie, the more impressed I am by it. Its another film from 2014 that I am catching up on that won't easily be forgotten. Its extremely intelligent and a must see thinker.
Jake Gyllenhaal is one of Hollywood's best talents. He has proved himself time and time again. I think the roles that suit him best are ones with a lot of depth to the character. He seems to have this knack of making you intricately understand even a supporting character. You can't help but be mesmerized by his fast talking, manipulative, bizarre, eccentric and almost morally corrupt Lou Bloom. Its a fantastic job by him and he commands the lead. Rene Russo is the producer of a late news program who Gyllenhaal forms a strange sort of work relationship with. It has this sort of sick feel to it and they both have a desire to use anyone or any situation to get further ahead. Their brief mention of something more profession only adds to the eery quality of their relationship and the film. Riz Ahmed is Gyllenhaal's intern who is put into harm's way to further Lou Bloom's agenda. Ahmed is okay in the role but he could have done more with it and he sort of gets buried by the overpowering performance of Gyllenhaal. Bill Paxton has an unfortunately small role as a rival freelance reporter. He has a great role and the few scenes he has with Gyllenhaal are fantastic. Their dynamic could have been an entire film on its own and their last scene together is stomach turning.
Writer and director Dan Gilroy is brand new to the scene for directing and he is off to an amazing start. I usually discourage writers directing their own work and usually a new director shows a lot of inexperience but Gilroy is a terrific exception. He has created this dark twisted world that if you're looking for a thriller that is far different than anything else out there, you will find this perfect. It is a water cooler film or perfect for a film club or class. I think this story has layers that can be examined and talked about but on the surface its just a very intelligent film. There is even a car chase of sorts in the movie that is just amazing because it comes out of nowhere and yet fits the film very well. Car chases are a dime a dozen in movies and most of them look the same but this one stands out. Nightcrawler is a unique and worthy film so definitely give it a shot! 8.5/10