Nightcrawler - Review

If it bleeds, it leads

The motto takes on a whole new level with this film.

The Plot

Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a highly intelligent and meticulous individual, is looking for a job. And that comes to him when he encounters a "Nightcrawler" named Joe Loder (Bill Paxton), who introduces him to the world of freelance video journalism. Recruiting an assistant (Riz Ahmed), getting in good terms with a News Director (Rene Russo) and arming himself with the equipment he needs, Lou sets out to become the best Nightcrawler in the business.

Review

I am late to the game in watching this movie. I had to wait to buy the Blu Ray in order to watch it. And I'm so glad I did. First time director, Dan Gilory, definitely created one hell of a feature film debut with this great examination on the shady business of "Nightcrawling." It also helps that he is an incredible screenwriter, because the script is crisp and easily avoids the easy way out of things when it comes to characterizations and plot points. But none of that would've mattered if the wrong person was casted in the role of Lou Bloom. And we should be thankful that Jake Gyllenhaal IS Lou Bloom.

Gyllenhaal completely transforms into the strangest, yet most efficient, person you'll ever meet. Lou is the very definition of a sociopath. He is completely removed from morals and only views things in quantifiable measurements that shape the reality he sees. And it is a reality that in the end is a very true one. The character of Lou may come off as a horrible individual due to his actions, but what makes him strangely likable and appealing is not just his efficiency, but the way he speaks. There is definitely something unhinged about the way he talks, but it isn't noticeable until he starts talking blackmail. The most difficult roles to play, are the ones where the main characters are inherently evil due to moral standards, but are in some ways extremely likable. He is a guy who is having a hard time finding a job (many can relate to that) and when he finds something he can do, he makes sure he is the best at it (something we can all aspire to). But there is no denying that his lack of morals in order for efficiency does make him a terrible person. And it is  electrifying to watch on screen.

Lou's enablers are pretty much the most relatable characters in the film, but what makes both of them wrong is that they are what they: enablers. Lou's employee, Rick, played by Riz Ahmed is definitely the only one who has a moral compass. But because of his disposition of being an individual who doesn't really have many options in life, it easily makes him someone who is not just an enabler but a follower as well. While this could easily be a weak role, it is a testament to Ahmed for making his character not appear to be too weak, just morally conflicted. Then there is Nina, the News Director played by Rene Russo, who is driven to give her channel high ratings with horrifying yet well composed images. And luckily for her, Lou is capable of delivering those things. Russo does a great job of playing someone who initially comes off as being amoral as Lou, but then her morals resurface on the discovery of just how sociopathic he really is. Both of them play such key roles in helping us explore Lou's personality and help us understand just how far all of these individuals are willing to go in order to achieve success. And although his role was a small one, Bill Paxton definitely played a key role in jump starting this whole experience.

But the core of the film is an examination of the long used journalism slogan: "If it bleeds, it leads." This film takes an interesting look in how exactly news stations get their hands on "exclusive" footage in order to draw ratings. Having studied TV and film, as well as worked in a control room before, I know exactly how all this goes on. So it is no surprise to me that what these people do can be considered amoral, especially if someone like Lou is working on the job. But what Gilroy did so masterfully well is not beating it over the head that this is morally wrong. Well maybe he does do it at the end, but by that point it is earned by showing us pretty normal things that we see on the news prior to that point. Especially given its noir and thriller look will set this film apart from others that try to deliver a message. Because the key that Gilroy seems to understand is that the message has to be formulated by the audience, while the story is king.

Final Thoughts

I couldn't do my top 10 list of best films of the year of 2014 because I could never watch all the films I wanted to see for that year. And if I was able to do so, this definitely would've been in the Top 5. Nighcrawler is an incredible thriller about how far is too far in the world of news that doesn't come off as a preachy look on the morality of the media. Instead what we get is an incredible story with a great knockout performance by Jake Gyllenhaal as the ever efficient Lou Bloom. This is definitely one of the best films of 2014.

SCORE: 9/10 - A riveting thriller with an incredible performance by Jake Gyllenhaal