"Nightcrawler" is an experience - it takes you on this journey through the dingy streets of Los Angeles, through the corrupt minds of media moguls, and through the seemingly charming slick reporter Louis Bloom (Jack Gyllenhaal) eyes tell everything.
Nightcrawler works on many levels. The writing and directing are great, and this is Dan Gilroy's directorial debut. He had a clear vision of how he wanted to shape Los Angeles, perfectly transferring the sleek, gloomy but slightly laid-back tone to the big screen. Jake Gyllenhaal's performance on the show is phenomenal, the exact opposite of his role in "The Prisoner," every second of him is just right. He is the best actor for this movie.
The film has a clear message in the media about how they abuse the story and reap the benefits. This message has been said a million times, but never like Nightcrawler, who throws you into a street full of sand with you a thief, Lou, when he starts out as a Freelance cameraman at crime scenes and selling his footage to a news channel to make money. We embark on this journey with Lu Ben, witnessing his transformation from a mean but ambitious man to a controlling, self-serving sociopath. Then you start to realize that he's always been like this. His charismatic charisma belies his true intentions, which is the most powerful and disturbing part of the film. It's a character study that embraces the whole way of life, and tells you enough grace and wisdom throughout.
The film is full of gloomy comedy from beginning to end. Lu's insistence and rude remarks brought laughter to basically everyone he met. He never whitewashes anything, he talks to anyone to get his own way, and his bad laugh always elicits a reaction from others. Also, the chemistry between Gyllenhaal and news producer Nina is delightful, and their work dynamics become more engaging as the film progresses.
Nightcrawler is a must-see movie for movie fans. From a directing and writing standpoint, from a performance standpoint, from a human standpoint, it's a work of art. It really does a hell of a job sucking you into this dark world and making you not want to come out. It's intense, it's fun, it's exciting, it's powerful, and most importantly, it's real. "Nightcrawler" is simply sensational.
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