Seriously. I went into this film knowing virtually nothing. What I was told was; Jake Gyllenhaal is an unemployed rake in L.A. who somehow stumbles into the realm of freelance Crime Journalism.
This is of course what happens, but nobody told me how Amazing Gyllenhaal is in the film. I used the word rake two lines up. That was deliberate. the man looks like he has done literally nothing but lie down and smoke cigarettes for a year.
End of watch was the last film I saw him in, and he wasn’t exactly a hulk back then, but he had muscles and looked as though he had eaten in the last four days. In Nightcrawler he is almost skeletal, the transformation is staggering. He has lost everything. But what amazed me most was the performance he put in. It’s truly harrowing at times.
At the very start of the film he is shown to be a petty crook, a swindler, and a witty, tenacious salesman. From this he evolves into a Nightcrawler; which is essentially a cameraman roaming the streets poking his nose into police affairs and selling the footage to the highest bidder.
When Lou (Gyllenhaal, I forgot to mention) hires his intern Rick, It’s through the conversations they share, we see the subtleties of his not-quite-rightness. Of course this can be credited to both the screenplay and the direction of Dan Gilroy, who has truly put together a remarkable film, but the credit really goes to Jakey boy. His posture is hunched and the mannerisms he has developed will leave you wondering how far along the autistic spectrum he’s decided his character is.
As you progress further into the film it goes way beyond that and you’re left having much more concerned thoughts about Lou. Believe me, you will be scared and uncomfortable
Back to Gilroy’s directing however; It is a strong film, but I can’t help remark that the most attractive shot of the whole film is actually on Lou’s Viewfinder. Considering it’s a film set in L.A. you actually don’t see very much of it, but it does make the film feel very intimate. perhaps a deliberate move. The editing is fine throughout, but certain music choices feel really weird and cheesey, it pulls you right out of the immersion that every other part of the film has worked hard to achieve.
Renee Russo is also in the film as His colleague / Love victim. (His way of chatting up women is practically criminal) Honestly I didn’t really even register that it was Russo in the film She looks a hell of a lot different, But as a cold, story hungry boss lady. she’s fantastic.
The story is intriguing, if not ever so slightly predictable in parts.
The cast are perfect.
Jake Gyllenhaal is another man completely, and I couldn’t be more impressed
The film overall, is pretty solid, immersive and will leave you very, very shocked.
Watch it.
Huggateerex 