Exquisitely wrought thriller

Rating: 9/10 (20 February 2016)

Jake Gyllenhaal's career has always been promising - his talent shining through as early as Donnie Darko and Brokeback Mountain (maybe not Day After Tomorrow). But it seems the last couple of years have really been his time to shine, with excellent performances in the awesome Prisoners, the bizarre Enemy, and now this exquisitely wrought thriller.
The film works brilliantly, not just because of its spot-on portrayal of the callousness and demented nature of American journalism, but because Dan Gilroy personifies it in the form of an actual sociopath. Gyllenhaal's haunting performance is so compelling that, in spite of his character's dreadful actions and creepy demeanour, one actually feels just a little bit pleased for him when he succeeds. In spite of the murders, accidents, attacks and other violent acts committed throughout the film, it was that little spark of sympathy for the main character that frightened me most.
Nightcrawler is a superb film that boasts a talented cast, wonderfully dark twists and electrifying tension.