First Take Classics: Nightcrawler- viewer discretion is advised

SYPNOSIS:

When Louis Bloom, a driven 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. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran.

Nightcrawler is a film that can be talked about from pretty much every standpoint- whether it’s the ethics or the credibility of the film, this is a rare piece of cinema that really engages the audience.

Dan Gilroy’s direction is very solid for a first-timer, as he is able to pace the film brilliantly without sacrificing on the character development that echoes prominently in his brilliant Oscar nominated script, showing how his experience working on the Bourne films with his brother Tony can come in handy.

It would be a crime to talk about this film and not mention Jake Gyllenhaal’s incredible performance as lead character Lou, as he just has a very well defined character that is designed to be menacing, and a lot of the audience I seen this film with were legitimately scared by him at points. The rest of the cast are just as good, with Riz Ahmed and Rene Russo providing two clear binary opposites to the sociopathic Lou. It’s shot brilliantly by Robert Elswit, and with a blaring James Newton Howard score, this is certainly a film that will rattle even the smallest of sound systems.

THE VERDICT

This is a real hidden gem for indie cinema, and I was gutted to have missed out on this on its cinema release back in October 2014. With great performances, a really nice script and some car chases that even I am envious of, this is a must see film.

Rating- 5/5