One of the Best Films of 2014

Rating: 9/10 (4 January 2015)

When Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a driven man desperate for work, muscles into the world of Los Angeles crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina (Rene Russo), a TV-news veteran.
Despite what the Academy decides, this was among the best pictures of 2014. And, at the very least, this was the best performance of Gyllenhaal's career and he may likely never match it again. Bill Paxton was a bit odd, and whoever scripted the word "brah" made a serious error, but Gyllenhaal is unstoppable.
And the film doubles as an action film (with impressive car chases and fire fights), or triples as a satire of the news industry... pointing out the well-known phrase "it bleeds, it leads" is even more true on television. Most amazing of all, perhaps, is that this is the director's debut.