Gyllenhaal delivers an amazing performance in an unpredictable dark comedy

Rating: 8/10 (27 November 2014)

In Nightcrawler we follow Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), an unemployed man in his thirties (probably) which comes off as a little bit weird. The film starts with him stealing a metal fence and then bargaining a sale to a man who is in charge of a metal scrap yard. Subsequently Lou is obviously turned down after applying for a job at this same yard. Although a weido, Lou is apparently very smart and ready to do anything to succeed. Thanks to his determination, mixed with coincidence, he finds himself at the site of a horrible car accident. There he observes Joe Loder (Bill Paxton) in action, but he is a nightcrawler; monitoring a police monitor at night in order to find newsworthy material, and then selling the photos to the highest bidding news station. Lou becomes very interested in this line of work and gets himself a camera and an assistant, Rick, played by Riz Ahmed, who is extremely convincing as a thick-witted and basically homeless local resident.
The first parts of the film feel a little scripty or so to speak, a little bit boxed in a general script. We have the protagonist, who doesn't have much, he steals stuff and sells it to not-just-survive (life doesn't seem to be too hard on him). He isn't successful in his search for employment, but this only makes our man more willing. What makes this film good is how nuts Lou Bloom is. From the start, you know that it will get him into trouble, but still his journey is so unpredictable. Gyllenhaal's performance is amazing as the crazy, unpredictable nightcrawler. Furthermore, the film is also very well written and Gyllenhaal's performance elevates an already good script – he has some great monologues through-out the entire runtime. After the story has been set up in the parts act, Lou Bloom leads the audience into a thrilling second part, which includes some of the most exciting scenes in a film this year. What makes the film even more interesting character even more life and it is easier to get invested in what ishappening.
One of the main drawbacks however, was the soundtrack, there were a few times when I was drawn out of a scene where the music felt very strange, and didn't fit to what was happening at all. Furthermore I would have wanted a little more gore and filth – I wanted to feel a little bit worse while watching the film. Instead the film takes a turn into the dark comedy section, not that it's a bad thing, I just feel that it could have been more disturbing.
I don't know news stations' method of work but I highly doubt that they would accept all the footage Lou Bloom offers them and air it. That however, totally worked in this film, just as most other parts of it.
Nightcrawler is highly entertaining and thrilling but if it had direction from someone like, for example, Nicolas Winding Refn and score done by someone like, for example, Trent Reznor it could have been an exceptional film.
I certainly recommend this one to everyone – 8/10