Gyllenhaal is Strong in this Dark Drama.

Rating: 7/10 (23 April 2015)

Jake Gyllenhaal, as Lou Bloom, creates a memorable character in "Nightcrawler", reminiscent of the intensity of Deniro's role in "Taxi Driver". He is a young man who is anxious to establish a pathway through life. He struggles to find employment beyond the illegal odd jobs he creates for himself. When he asks the owner of a junkyard for a job, we find out why he can't find employment--he cannot see himself from the viewpoint of others. If he could, he would probably want to hide some of his traits. As the story plays out, we find that Lou has deeper problems, but he manages to create a job that he "likes" and he achieves some success.
But "Nightcrawler" is really about the television news industry. With a nod to "Network", it forces the viewer to consider the possible consequences of sensationalism in news. The film's narrative also invokes comparisons with "Blow-Up" and "The Conversation", as Lou's desire to succeed takes him deeper into the news stories to the point of personal involvement.
Renee Russo (wife of director Dan Gilroy) plays Nina, the news director of a local television station. Because of her insecurity about her job, she follows Lou down his frightful path to "success".
This is a dark film that asks serious questions of viewers, including what role they might play in influencing media news coverage.