NIGHTCRAWLER
***out of 4 stars
starring Jake Gyllenhaal
directed by Dan Gilroy
What to see for Halloween? Buy a ticket to Nightcrawler, and you’re sure to get the creeps. One creep in particular being Lou Bloom, played by a spectacular Jake Gyllenhaal. The film follows Lou as he discovers his calling in life, becoming a freelance LA crime journalist, and tracking down police chases and bloody crime scenes. Lou, however, considers himself an artist, and isn’t above tampering with the scene, just to get the perfect lighting on a corpse. And we’re off, watching Lou use his camera to catch the goriest crimes , and selling them off for a fat check to veteran news executive Nina (a vicious Rene Russo), who is equally as deranged as Lou. Did I mention this film is hilarious? The byplay between Nina and Lou is something to witness, each laugh laced with something lethal.
Overall, what first time director Dan Gilroy has given us, is a satire on what we as Americans (not just LA) find entertaining. No matter how many victims are involved. And along with that, we get some of the best cinematography of Los Angeles, beautifully done by the great Robert Elswit (The Town, Inherent Vice). And Jake Gyllenhaal (Prisoners, Enemy), portraying Bloom as a hungry, lurking predator, continues his hell of an acting role. Up to the film’s climactic car chase, Gyllenhaal’s performance will keep you pinned to your seat. My only complaint is that I was left wanting more.
