Louis Bloom is a well-spoken, determined, smart individual
who also happens to be a ferocious sociopath in need of a job. He finds one in
recording accidents and selling the footage to a news station. After developing
a taste for it, he travels the streets of L.A. with the intention of recording
the most violent crimes the city has to offer. Dan Gilroy makes his directorial
debut with this immensely electrifying thriller. Jake Gyllenhaal stars
alongside Rene Russo and Bill Paxton.
Dan Gilroy makes a very impressive raw
debut with this powerful story. He placed a heavy focus on realism which made for a gritty film. The tale he tells is a very dark, exciting one
with just the right amount of satire to even things out. There is a sense of
tension that grows as the movie goes on. You feel the sense of dread inside of
you watching certain scenes because Dan Gilroy makes the movie feel so real. The story flows in a very engaging way by taking the audience on a ride The car chases in particular feel especially so because you have a beat on the
danger of the situation.
Jake Gyllenhaal is the reason to
watch this film. His performance as the sociopath Louis Bloom is breathtaking.
He captured the essence of a soulless human being in a way that I have not seen
since Christian Bale in the cult classic, American Psycho. Both characters, Louis Bloom and Patrick Bateman,
were driven by intense desire and greed. Gyllenhaal
and Bale both portrayed absolutely insane men with nothing behind their
eyes.
Jake Gyllenhaal added many dimensions
to the character, especially his eyes. Gyllenhaal’s eyes told a fascinating
story. He allowed them to do most of the talking sometimes, including letting
the audience know that he is just an empty vessel. He goes to some very dark places in and always
pulls it off. He showcases just how talented and powerful of an actor he truly
is. Rene Russo has a supporting role as a television news director working with
Bloom. She was a strong character in her own right and was a solid addition to
the cast. Ruiz Ahmed played Louis Bloom’s intern, Rick. His purpose was to add
to Jake Gyllenhaal’s character, so as a supporting actor he did his job. Bill Paxton is an underrated actor. Bill
Paxton is not in the film much, but he is great in everything he’s in.
Nightcrawler is a
great character study in that of Louis Bloom. It is a fulfilling thriller and effective
satire. Nightcrawler is a commentary on the current job market and the moral integrity
of broadcast journalism. This film does so much right it’s hard to find anything
wrong with it. It does however have some issues. The film felt like it was missing
a scene between Jake Gyllenhaal’s character and Rene Russo’s character. Also,
it felt like a few legal liberties were taken for the sake of the story. Despite
this it has outstanding strengths. The direction was great, the score was
engaging, and Jake Gyllenhaal was spark of insanity. Nightcrawler is a gripping
thriller that kept me at the edge of my seat and I’m willing to bet it’ll do
the same to you.
4.8/5
