Nightcrawler – Review

Just as relevant today (if not more so) as when it came out, Nightcrawler is a ghastly affair. Set with a Hollywood backdrop, the film features a main character with zero morals or ethics in the world of exclusive news scoops. He fights right in.

Thief Louis Bloom (Gyllenhaal) is caught cutting a chain link fence in a restricted area by private security. He attacks the man to escape the situation. He moves to dump his stolen copper wire and manhole covers, but gets low prices. Louis sees himself as a hard worker, and a persistent man, who is looking for a new job. Still, he comes across as off-putting to those around him, and untrustworthy.

On his way home, he drives by a car accident. This sparks his inner voyeur and he stops to watch. As a news crew jumps out to film the carnage, Louis notices them. Hmmm… maybe leeching off of disaster, and being first to the scene, is something he can do, and maybe even well.

As Louis enters this new world, we go along with him. If it bleeds, it leads, says veteran filmer Joe Loder (Paxton), however he is not hiring. Louis again sees this as an opportunity to be an entrepreneur. Real money could be made if he gets in with news networks and gets them hooked on his video content. He pairs up with a newbie “intern” that he hires for peanuts, Rick (Ahmed), and the pair aim for the stars.

The world of Nightcrawler is all too real. The serious presentation of the script just enhances the reflection of our surrounding world, and what keeps people’s attentions these days. If it’s not about fear, disaster or death, the news quickly moves on. Ratings are real, and the only way to survive, so networks lean into anything awful around the world. Local blood and guts?? Perfect! Prime Time material.

Jake Gyllenhaal always gives fantastic performances, but this one still sticks out as one to remember. While he often plays someone likeable, this is the exact opposite. The script crackles with energy and the director go the most out of his A-list cast. The story covers all sorts of related grounds, and drives head first into some unscrupulous places. Tense, disturbing and realistic in all the right ways, Nightcrawler is guaranteed to make your skin crawl, and is worth the time.

Viewer discretion is advised.