Nightcrawler

Rating: 8/10 (8 February 2015)

Nightcrawler, is a metaphor for Americas ever increasing need for social media. Jake Gyllenhall plays an out of work, loner named Lou Bloom. The first scene Lou is stealing scrap metal, when a security guard walks up on him. Showing the type of character Lou is, he beats up the older man and steals his wrist watch. Upon completion of a night of roaming the streets, Lou stumbles on a car crash. Where he notices a freelance cameraman gathering what footage he can to sell to the local news. ​Inspired, Lou quickly swipes a bike to pawn for a police scanner and cheap camcorder. His first shaky, yet gruesome footage of a car-jacking is just what a late-night news producer, Nina, is looking for. She encourages Lou to come to her first with any news worthy footage that he might have. ​Lou quickly gets addicted to the rush of being one of the first to see the gore of these horrible crime scenes. His business grows and so does his production. He adds new equipment, a new car, and an assistant. His personality comes out more with every event. When he arrives first to a car wreck, he stages the scene by moving a dead body, to appear more news worthy. It gradually shows his true sociopath of a character. ​He is completely bare of any human emotion, when he watches his assistant die in front of him. He offers him no assistance but films the last moments of his young life. He then pulls the camera away from his lifeless body and quietly leaves the scene. ​The film ends with Lou being questioned by the police, leaving the viewer wondering if Lou will go down for being a part of the real life, everyday drama.