A real gem

Rating: 10/10 (19 October 2016)

What an experience "Nightcrawler" is, and what a delight to watch a movie centered on an incredibly fascinating character. Lou Bloom is one of the best embodiment of today's generation, encapsulated in this extremely paradoxical character: during the whole movie, you are just as fascinated with him as you are disgusted, you both root for him and want him to be caught or stopped, you despise his actions but want to see how far he'll go, you want to slap him but can't help but love his soliloquies. The movie manages to broach several themes, and where I have read a lot of comment on how it was a movie about the media, I tend to see it far more as a critique of a whole system, enabled by the audience itself at first. The viewer is as much guilty as the news reporter for producing Lou Blooms in this world. The notions of success and what it really means, holding the power, compromising oneself, and, in general, what "the American dream" means now are central to this movie, but desperation also is. Almost all characters in this piece are desperate: Nina with the requirements of her bosses, Rick with needing a job, and Lou, of course, to success at a big scale. It is a real view into what people are told they should run after and that they are failure if they don't. The picture is beautiful, and L.A. hasn't looked that good for a long time, which only enhances the quality of an already great the screenplay. The dialogue is excellent, even hilarious at times. I must admit that I laughed a lot while watching, cause here is some of the best dark comedy I've seen in a long time.
However, it is impossible, really impossible to dissociate Nightcrawler's brilliance from Jake Gyllenhaal's performance. That he wasn't even considered for an Oscar is a real head-scratcher for me (I wonder who he p*ssed because I don't see any other explanation). The weight loss is only a minor part of his performance, even secondary, although necessary to emphasize Lou's hunger, literally and figuratively: this guy is a scavenger in every aspect of his personality. No, what haunts you in Nightcrawler are Gyllenhaal's eyes: soulless, cold, determined. They pierce through you and he "sees" all your weaknesses. The way they glitter with excitement when he repositions a body to get his "perfect shot". How hard they weigh on you when you are at then end of one of his monologues. the complete absence of any form of empathy... Second to the eyes is this ferocious smile that is both infectious and terrifying. Lou will stop at nothing to eat you and satisfy his "hunger". And finally, his lines delivery is simply riveting. This is a flawless and mind-blowing performance of Gyllenhaal, who doesn't go into huge display of emotions, but on the contrary, provides an incredibly charismatic abhorrent scumbag you can't help but watch. The rest of the cast is excellent, especially Riz Ahmed as Rick, to support him. Definitely one of the best movies made in the past years, and a must- see