Nightcrawler
It was a cardinal sin that Gyllenhaal’s exceptionally transformative performance in Dan Gilroy’s ferocious debut Nightcrawler fails to claim major awards. The character of Lou Bloom should be considered alongside cult film figures like Patrick Bateman and Tyler Durden; more than characters and personalities, they are pitch-perfectly rendered statements of humanity grasping to the mere fringes of reality.
Bloom is a newfound online entrepreneur desperate for work but somewhat lacking a sense of direction. After stumbling upon a car wreckage, he becomes quickly immersed in the cut-throat and morally ambiguous art of ‘nightcrawling’ – a means of videoing and documenting L.A. crime scenes which range from burglaries to savage homicides.
Using his textbook-memorised knowledge and startling ambition, Lou forms a partnership with Nina (Rene Russo) – a seasoned TV news programmer – who asks that he take the shots no other journalist dares. Quickly he finds himself merging criminality as he blurs the lines between observer and participant all to get the most exclusive scoop and that all-important paycheque.
Jake builds the perfect anti-hero; a bug-eyed, maniacally-gaunt and quick-fire-spitting entity who thrives in the gloomy underbelly of this Californian paradise. Lou is hyper-active and hyper-critical, but he is equally motivated, intelligent and resonate. With Nightcrawler, Gilroy confirmed himself as a truly ambitious and audacious talent. This is a stunningly constructed, remarkably contextualised, wholly visceral American masterpiece.
