Nightcrawler

by Simon Mansell, Writing Intern (with Germar Derron)

Simon Mansell is a new blogger, who reviews movies primarily for his site, YMB-YourMovieBlogger.  He will contribute periodically to Look to the Cookie.

One of the most anticipated films of the year, for fans of those “Oscar-worthy” films, is Nightcrawler, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The film follows Louis Bloom, a downbeat, yet driven man, looking for work (editor’s note: or a big score) in Los Angeles. After seeing two men film a car crash, Louis believes he too could make a career out of that. He purchases a camera, hires an assistant, and chases down accidents and incidents in the LA area. He then sells the footage to Channel 6 news. After a particularly disturbing shooting, Louis films the aftermath. But then he decides not to show the news station, or the police, footage of the people who committed the crime. Louis then tracks down the murderers and causes another shooting--in an attempt to gain more footage. Louis must then decide what is more important to him--money or doing the right thing. People will feel the consequences of his decision.

The film is one of the best of the year. It combines a wonderful cast, direction, and story. Jake Gyllenhaal gives an amazing performance as Louis Bloom. He is one of my favourite actors, with perfect portrayals of emotion and excitement. He has never been better than in Nightcrawler. He is creepy and unstable. That edge-of-your-seat unpredictability is why his performance was so amazing to view.  

Other cast members include Rene Russo (in a wonderful revival), Riz Ahmed, Bill Paxton, Ann Cusack, and Kevin Rahm. The entire cast is fantastic, but absolutely overshadowed by Gyllenhaal. Also, Dan Gilroy does an amazing job in his directorial debut. Mostly known for his writing and story credits, Gilroy took the challenge of directing his own movie and clearly it paid off. His style is very engaging. Additionally, the writing and editing was wonderful. The film flowed very naturally. It felt organic.

Overall, I give Nightcrawler an 8.8/10. Is it worth watching? Definitely. Is it worth buying on DVD/Blu-ray when it comes out? Definitely. Did I already call it one of the best films of the year? Yep. Okay, just go see it already.