Nightcrawler Movie Review

Neo-Noir is a very interesting genre; when used correctly it can add a much needed spice to film, especially where the crime drama is concerned. Nightcrawler, the latest effort into this field is a welcome new addition, mixing an atmospheric premise with a hint of media ethics and the drive of competition.

Nightcrawler is all about Louis Bloom; a conning sociopath who is looking for a way to make his fortune; as luck would have it, he stumbles across a group of freelance cameraman who get close-up footage on crimes in progress and sell it to local news agencies (nightcrawling). With a trusty employee in tow (played by Riz Ahmed), Bloom begins his foray into freelancing and crime journalism, all the while hiding his background behind a wall of well-rehearsed professional chit-chat. Taking place mostly at night, the film focuses on both Blooms’ incursions into crime scenes and his bartering with the likes of news director Nina Romina (Rene Russo). What makes Nightcrawler so engaging is its build-up; as Bloom’s competition and desire to earn soars higher, his tactics and crime scenes grow more risky and intense. There are some really restless moments later on in the film and once the police begin to play a larger role, audiences simply won’t be able to take their eyes off the film’s proceedings. The film also delves into a few ethical issues in journalism including the presentation of graphic content, and the need for accuracy in the media. These issues never overshadow the central plot, which leads me to its only weakness; the ending. It sort of clunks to a fairly unsatisfying conclusion where there isn’t any real consequence to the things Bloom does over the course of the film. While this is a disappointment, the journey the audience takes with the protagonist is certainly engaging, even if he’s not exactly the one you would root for in a film of this style.

At the centre of Nightcrawler is Jake Gyllenhaal, who really does go a long way towards carrying the entire film. There’s a two-sided approach to his performance which really captures the nature of his character; on the one hand he puts on deceiving look of professionalism, marking himself as someone who takes his work very seriously, while on the other he obsesses over his work to an almost psychotic degree. He’s not a character that you necessarily support; instead you’re endlessly intrigued by his exploits and deeds over the course of the film.  If there’s one caveat to Bloom’s character, it’s that his central motivation is relatively simplistic; he simply wants money and will cheat anyone to get to it. While this doesn’t impact Gyllenhaal’s performance, it feels a bit lacking considering how he’s introduced as a thief and trespasser. Some of the side characters are also relatively underdeveloped; because Gyllenhaal’s acting is so strong, the supporting actors (most notably Bill Paxton as Bloom’s main rival Joe Loder) feel pretty basic by comparison. This is less true of Rene Russo who brings a spark of charismatic flair to the news director archetype. Other than that, Nightcrawler’s characters are competent, albeit fairly basic given the realistic setting.

Thanks to a great central performance from Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler stands out as a solid, well produced thriller. While some of the characters could be more developed and the ending is quite underwhelming, the film’s neo-noir style and strong pacing more than make up for its shortcomings.

 

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars