Movie Review - Nightcrawler: the dark underbelly of the American Dream

With his gaunt, sunken features, dark rings from out of which his hungry eyes scan for any opportunity he can seize to improve himself, Jake Gyllenhaal's quietly intense and darkly charismatic perfermance is the key draw to 'Nightcrawler'.  But this film is more than one great performance, it proves to be an effective parable for the dark and discomfiting side of the American Dream - the morally grey, questionable areas some people are prepared to go to 'make it' and become successful.

Gyllenhaal plays Louis 'Lou Bloom, who we meet living virtually hand-to-mouth, stealing scrap metal and trying (unsuccessfully) to talk his way in to employment.  By chance he passes a crash on a freeway and when he is compelled to stop and watch the carnarge he encounters a free-lance news cameraman (the legendary Bill Paxton) filming it, and discovers there is money to be made from finding scenes like these and selling the footage to local news channels.  He sells his first footage to Morning News Editor Nina (Rene Russo), and gradually his success grows.

Apparently there really are people that make a living filming crashes and crime scenes in LA...

The film is centred upon Gyllenhaal as Bloom, and takes a non-judgemental eye as it follows the growth of his 'Video News Footage' company, which is partly down to Bloom's almost sociopathic behaviour; he begins by charming Nina, and his low-paid 'intern' Rik (Riz Ahmed) with his talk about his business ideals and ambitions, but eventually manipulates and bullys them in to serving his interests and desires.  The fact the film does not take an obviously negative portrayal of his behaviour (in fact, one of his most immoral moments is accompanied by an almost 'heroic' sounding theme from composer James Newton Howard) may cause a problem for some people.

However, in the context of the film, Bloom is not the only person making morally quesiotnable choices for their own benefit or profit; whether it is rival film crews, delighting in the tragedy and misfortune of others, or Nina and her news team choosing stories that will create fear and shock amongst the viewers and so keeping them hooked to their news channel.  To an extent Bloom is another facet of an industry exploiting and profiting from sensationalising death and suffering, and in that environment his choices are acceptable - as perverse as they may seem.

News Editor Nina thinks she has a place of power and authority over Bloom - but he manipulates her in a particularly uncomfortable scene...

Gyllenhaal has been gaining awards buzz for his performance, and it is undoubtedly memorable; but he has delivered similarly outstanding work before (he was the best thing in last year's disappointing 'Prisoners'), and after flirting with some so-so blockbusters he is back on form.  Watching this you can‘t help but feel there's even better work to come from him - even if this does garner him awards.

But his is not the only eye-catching role in this film - it must be said that the city of LA itself is a significant character, the glistening lights and neon effectively captured by the cinematography; it portrays a place of dangerous promise, where it is easy to believe people like Bloom would thrive and make their success - in ways the majority of people wouldn't find acceptable...