One Of The Year's Best Films.

Rating: 8/10 (15 December 2014)

Jake Gyllenhaal gives the performance of his career in Nightcrawler in which he plays an alien, who learns everything he needs to know through the internet, but lacks any kind of empathy for the human race. At least that's how I saw it.
Alien, that's the best way to describe how Lou Bloom interacts with people. Each conversation seems more like a wager on what Lou can take away from it. He doesn't ever have a normal conversation with someone. He always has an angle and he always gets his way. Case in point, the dinner scene with Rene Russo. At first this seems like a scene in which he is trying to score a date of some kind of her. He's a weird guy and we all know his advances will eventually be shut down, but he turns the tables on her and us pretty quickly and his ulterior motives are revealed. One of the best scenes of the film and of the year.
His dialogue his fast and to the point. He doesn't ever waste a breath or a word on something that doesn't give him some slight advantage in some way. I so hope come award time, Gyllenhaal is given the recognition he deserves.
The title serves the film perfectly. This movie takes place 90% of the time at night. Shot beautifully in a cold dark tone with bright lights that emulate the bright light that Lou wants to chase. His dream. Does he want to be in the TV business? Who knows. He's shown wanting a job, any job and this is just something that he's good at that people want. He has no problem crossing ethical, legal and moral lines to get the shot. Sometimes, shockingly, he will change the perspective of the truth to support his gain.
With a memorable soundtrack, slick direction and a script that deserves awards, Nightcrawler is one of the best films of the year.