Nightcrawler Review – A Perfect Psychotic Thriller

By Muhammad Mujtaba

5 Min Read

Posted: September 16, 2023

Film: Nightcrawler

Director: Dan Gilroy

Release Date: October 31, 2014

Maturity Rating: 16+

When the topic is about movie genres that include psychological depth and social commentary, it has to be associated with the name Dan Gilroy.

An American film director, screenwriter, and producer known for his work in the film industry. He started his career as a screenwriter, working on projects like “Freejack” (1992) and “Two for the Money”.

Breakthrough as a Director

Dan Gilroy gained widespread recognition as a director with his debut feature film, “Nightcrawler” (2014). The film starred Jake Gyllenhaal and received critical acclaim for its dark and gripping portrayal of the world of crime journalism.

Gilroy’s work often explores dark and morally complex themes. Undeniably his films have been praised for their unique storytelling and character development. He has made a significant impact on the film industry after all through his distinctive storytelling style. His ability to tackle complex and thought-provoking subjects in his films is impeccable.

Nightcrawler – Review

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Lou Bloom, a lonely sociopath browsing options to make quick money, living with the motive of “whatever it takes”. One particular day while driving home, Lou Bloom encounters a stringer, who concurrently during a car crash was filming the whole scene. Yet he asks him about some details of the profession in curiosity.

Fascinated with the scope and unique narrative possibilities surrounding this profession, he takes a video camera and sets off on his new journey, selling videotapes to news stations regarding unusual happenings and crime scenes.

Co-starring Rene Russo as Nina and Riz Ahmed as Rick, This movie is an action and suspense-packed thriller that will captivate you to your screen like never before.

Setting

“If you want to win the lottery you have to make the money to buy a ticket”, is a motto that Lou Bloom lives by in “Nightcrawler”. This gives us an insight into his personality traits.

Young and naive with high ambitions, he wants to seize every opportunity life offers him, even if it costs him losing his sanity. Another reason for his concerned and deranged attitude can be his obsession with gaining and fear of losing “money”.

His perception of money is something that makes or breaks your value in society. Nevertheless, he is willing to do whatever it takes to climb to the top of the mountain by any means possible.

Nightcrawler – Jake Gylenhall

Character Development

As Lou Bloom discovers the twisted and cursed world of journalism, he comes to the conclusion that there is no such thing as empathy or good will. However many organizations are heartless and their only point of concern is making money.

A sociopath molded by society’s expectations to rise to the very top, Bloom’s unwavering dedication corrupts his conscience and he starts looking for loopholes.

Exploiting and manipulating his partner Rick, he feels no remorse for any of his actions. He cleverly uses his dishonesty to deceive anyone for his own personal gain. Instead of feeling any guilt, he moves on and seeks to progress himself for “his better good”.

In his night crawling business, he does not feel bad for the people hurt or the ethics of his actions, allowing him to capture the best possible shots of the crime scenes. Although his demeanor is completely inhumane,it perfectly aligns with the ideals of many news networks and corporations.

The Message

Lou’s character in “Nightcrawler” represents the American Dream at its worst, where success is defined by wealth and power, and where one’s own needs and desires take precedence over everything else.

Moreover, Dan Gilroy’s intended message gives a more real and complex view of the American Dream, where morally ambiguous people like Lou are the ones who thrive the most.

Again the film points out the duality of many news corporations, that is bending the actual news into exaggerated stories and drawing fearful intrigue rather than informing the public accurately as it generates more interest.

In addition, it’s not just the corporation in the movie that reflects a sociopathic thinker but the sociopathic thinker also reflects many news corporations. So surprisingly Louis Bloom and the News industry are a perfect match for each other.

Nightcrawler' Stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an Obsessive - Estrakt

Nightcrawler – Jake Gylenhall

Summary

Lastly, the film’s good side lies in its riveting storytelling and Gyllenhaal’s mesmerizing performance. Furthermore, it portrays a chilling exploration of media ethics and the relentless pursuit of success.

However, its downside might be its unsettling and morally ambiguous subject matter, which can be uncomfortable for some viewers. Since it is a polarizing but undeniably thought-provoking cinematic experience.