Nightcrawler (2014)

Director: Dan Gilroy

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton

When Louis Bloom, a con man desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.

This is not an ideal movie for escapism and certainly not a family movie. It plunges you into the deep end of the world of peril and tragedy – without being violent or brutal. The film is so realistically done that some scenes are difficult to watch due to the tragic (realistic) nature of them.

This is an interesting insight into how footage for newscasts is obtained – sometimes so easily overlooked. It’s also a sad fact that a price tag is determined by the level and scale of a tragedy. Jake Gyllenhaal is fantastic. He has a constant eeriness about him. There’s such a strong resemblance here to Joaquin Phoenix’ performance in ‘Joker’. The film is creepy and disturbing in so many ways, and in many instances it has nothing to do with what is directly displayed on screen.

The film has a stunning, nail biting climax. Although a very good film, I probably won’t be watching it again due to the nature of the film.

‘Nightcrawler’ received 165 nominations, winning 42, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best First Film, Best Original Screenplay. It earned $47 million on an $8.5 million budget.

Would I watch it again? No.