See It, You Will Thank Me

Rating: 10/10 (21 February 2015)

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the most talented and reliable actors alive today. He's blown me away in more movies than I can name (some of my favorites being "Donnie Darko", "Prisoners", and "Enemy") and his latest role as the sleazy crime reporter Lou Bloom even further proves his genius. He manages to up his first-class standard of acting and single-handedly carry this thrill ride of a film. "Nightcrawler" is one of those movies that comes out of nowhere and astonishes you, proving that Hollywood can still widely release great films. It's a game-changer, and an entertaining one at that.
The film centers around Bloom, a driven young guy living in Los Angeles that never quite operates on everyone's level. Desperate for work and looking for something to occupy his time, he comes across the fast paced world of crime journalism. Quickly forcing his way into the business and filming anything the news stations will buy, he begins to tow the line between observer and participant, all for his own favor. The more dangerous it is to capture, the more money he receives. And as you can expect, things get out of hand (much to the pleasure of the audience).
It moves at an insanely rapid pace from one incident to the next and is one of the most captivating films I've seen in a long time. I never stopped to check the time once, which certainly says something, and was mesmerized by the mannerisms and dialogue coming from this peculiar character. Everything about this movie enchanted me: the darkly comic moments, dedicated performances, and dynamite writing. Add all that up and you have one of my favorite films of the year. See it, you will thank me.