A white knuckle thriller with a great turn by Gyllenhaal

Rating: 8/10 (15 January 2015)

Not as though we needed any more evidence, but if there was any doubt about the talents of Jake Gyllenhaal then let Nightcrawler be the final word in the statement that he is one of the most impressive actors working today, as his creation of Louis Bloom is a creation for the ages in screenwriter Dan Gilroy's impressive feature debut that has some harsh points to make about today's modern day media techniques and makes them with a modern day Travis Bickle like central figure.
While the city of Los Angeles is impressively captured here, a night time lit city of crime and desperate figures, while James Newton Howard's subtle yet effective score plays out as proceedings grow ever darker and while Gilroy's smart direction and unique script takes shape there is nothing that compares to Bloom. A haunted eyed loner who wants nothing more than success, no matter the cost, is a vile yet undeniably watchable figure that prowls on anything or anyone as long as he can achieve his questionable goals. From the moment we first meet Bloom in a restricted zone at a city train track through to the tense and white knuckle finale, Bloom is the cold blooded beating heart of the film and his rise from wannabe crime videographer through to aspiring businessman is one that will keep you well and truly glued to your seat even if proceedings sometimes take a turn for the unbelievable a little to often. Gyllenhaal deserves plaudits for sinking completely into Bloom, from his gaunt physical appearance, his empty yet razor sharp eyes and his general characteristic tics, this really is a full bodied performance that makes Gilroy's film more than the sum of its parts.
While everything is professionally done in a production sense, Nightcrawler's greatest weakness is strangely found within it's narrative arc. Bloom's rise up the ranks of the local TV station is worryingly quick, his dealings with Rene Russo's desperate news station head Nina doesn't always ring true, Bloom failing to be penalised for obvious crime scene breaches make you scratch your head and Bloom's rivalry with Bill Paxton's industry veteran Joe takes a far fetched and in the end underplayed turn that feels like it belongs to another movie. It's a shame that so many elements of Bloom's story feel to far flung from reality, as when Nightcrawler strikes a believable cord it's a striking indictment of the modern day media circus and an often hugely original big screen picture.
While not all elements ring true in this impressive feature, Nightcrawler is a great debut by Dan Gilroy. There's yet another award calibre showcase performance by the increasingly great Gyllenhaal and the journey into the mind of a man so concerned with his goal no matter the obstacles that may hamper his cause is an entertaining one. Nightcrawler is a thriller of the highest order and a depraved tale set in the city of Angels that deserves to be seen.
4 abnormal job interviews out of 5
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