REVIEW #339 Nightcrawler (2014)

Lou Bloom, a petty thief, becomes a photojournalist, capturing footage all across LA throughout the night. Soon Lou takes desperate measures to stay ahead of his competition.

Nightcrawler is one of my all time favourite Jake Gyllenghaal performances and it’s films like this and Prisoners too, that really illustrate just how good of an actor Jake is. The attention to detail in his character is extraordinary, creating a truly unnerving protagonist. The writing is carefully orchestrated to reveal the underlying sinister nature of Lou Bloom, starting from a little weirdness and unravelling to become a true sociopath. Dan Gilroy directed plenty of moments in the movie that have the audience uncomfortable, anxious and unsure about the protagonist they’re witnessing on screen. The cinematography from Robert Elswit is also a notable aspect of the film, creating an array of shots that not only set the tone but also help instigate that anxiety inducing atmosphere of Nightcrawler. Riz Ahmed is the supporting actor and could easily fly under the radar here but it’s worth noting his performance, because without his character Lou Blooms true nature wouldn’t have come across as well as it did. A really strong movie, one that deserves more attention from general audiences.

Overall (8.5/10)

Thanks for reading.

Callan

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