Makes a nice tight package ... suspenseful and entertaining

Rating: 8/10 (10 December 2014)

An awful lot to like in NIGHTCRAWLER.
Gilroy, known for his edgy scripts, remarkably finds an area of Real Life that Hollywood has not already done 300 times --- the guys who get the news for the TV stations -- and builds a nice tight film around it.
Nice supporting performances by the ever-reliable Bill Paxton (one of the most distinctive speech patterns in the biz) and Rene Russo (of Lethal Weapon fame).
But the star turn is from Jake Gyllenhaal who makes you forget that he USUALLY plays heroes and good guys (remember SOURCE CODE) and instead delivers a performance which is equal parts Rain Man and Hannibal Lector by way of early de Niro.
He is nothing short of brilliant.
Recommended.