554th Review: The Big Sleazy

Rating: 9/10 (13 December 2014)

Nightcrawler is a superb watch - the genius lies in taking all the lines they've sold us over the decade about management and work, self-improvement and negotiation, and put them into the hands of a narcissistic sociopath that is Louis Bloom. What we get is a both the snake and the snake charmer in one person - and just as mesmerizing.
When Bloom gets his shot at the big time, he not only grabs it, he manipulates everyone in sight with a slick sleaze that leaves you gasping at his chutzpah. This is characterization and script with real zing. First time director Dan Gilroy gives us the slimy underbelly of TV news, where ratings have become more important than any sense of ethics - and flies with it.
The film has a streak of dark humor, but more than that, it reflects the zeitgeist. In a world where TV is struggling this makes us a little too uncomfortable as we suspect it might all be possibly possible.
With excellent performances and a killer script this is the thriller of the year - a nasty slice of satire that deserves its evident success.