Nightcrawler
"My motto is, if you want to win the lottery, you have to make the money to buy a ticket."
"I like to say that if you're seeing me, you're having the worst day of your life."
Nightcrawler is Dan Gilroy's 2014 Neo-Noir Crime Thriller. We follow Louis Bloom, an opportunistic psychopath and petty thief who becomes a photojournalist specializing in violent and sensational stories. Soon, he turns desperate to stay ahead of the game and breaks the barrier between reporter and participant.
Jake Gyllenhaal, the perfect casting for the role, is phenomenal as Lou Bloom. He plays evil (once again) so convincingly in an extremely controlled, creepy, and precise manner. His dead eyes, forced smile, and twitchiness are great tokens of physical acting, and his menacingly robotic voice and tone are effective. Using calmness as a weapon, Gyllenhaal's performance makes Bloom charismatic and believable without an explanation needed. He blinks a total of 4 times in the film, and delivers a transformative performance, portraying a monster unnaturally well. Riz Ahmed is also fantastic as Rick, playing a nervous, naive, and truly human contrast to Louis' total lack of empathy.
Dan Gilroy's direction is quite confident for a debut, his camerawork makes everything feel cold, sleek, and predatory. The cinematography is surprisingly similar to Taxi Driver, but in LA. Los Angeles at night becomes hypnotically beautiful: the practical lights, empty streets, driving sequences are all visually striking and turn the city into Lou's hunting ground. The framing, editing, and visual style all make every scene immersive and aesthetically pleasing.
The score is also brilliantly ironic, sounding inspirational and triumphant when Bloom commits moral horror and framing his actions as achievements. The sound design also builds tension well during driving and crime-scene sequences. The excellent acting, direction, and score all make us experience the story through Louis Bloom's eyes and his eyes only, and does so effectively.
The movie's central concept is fresh, instantly gripping, and disturbing. It critiques news culture and capitalism, exposing how tragedy can become entertainment and profit. The themes of ambition and moral corruption are all tackled and executed sensationally. Scenes like racing to crime scenes, filming accidents, and negotiations are suspenseful and gripping, while the dialogue is sharp and stylized. The story is often chilling but also includes some comedic moments that highlight Lou's warped sense of accomplishment.
Louis Bloom is a fantastic character with no moral compass, his motivations are status and financial success, which makes his actions predictable but terrifying. Treating others as obstacles or tools to reach his goals, and always calculating and professionally evil. The fact that the film never tries to soften or explain him makes his rise scary but mesmerizing. A deeply manipulative and emotionless protagonist, doing whatever it takes to reach the top, and in the end, the system rewards him.
The ending works so well because it aligns with the film's message that immoral people who pursue success through unethical means sometimes escape punishment and succeed even more, and Bloom's completed arc from desperate drifter to confident manipulator who is now at the top of the food chain is perfect. Nightcrawler's conclusion is fittingly unsettling and thematically consistent as Lou is now without anyone opposing him, and fully in control.
Nightcrawler is a unique but compelling statement piece with clear themes, sharp writing and dialogue, logical but intense escalation, and a chilling ending. The movie's visuals and audio are both impressive and atmospheric, and the shifts between satire, crime thriller, and complex character study are smooth and skilful. Louis Bloom is a marvellous depiction and critique of a psychopath in every way, while Jake Gyllenhaal completely masters his performance. Overall, an excellently uncomfortable watch with many catchy lines, scenes, and stares that stick.
Overall Rating: 8/10