Nightcrawler Movie Review: Jake Gyllenhaal Personifies the Darkness & Evil Potential of the Modern News Cycle
The world of journalism is in a rather unique one.
The speed of the news cycle has made it difficult for many companies to distinguish themselves from the crowd. The increased competition from web traffic has also changed the focus of not only how to write stories, but which ones to publish and when. Most importantly, the increased volume has shifted the attention from being reactive to being proactive.
And it is this shift that has the potential for some startling consequences.
It is this theme that takes centrality in Dan Gilroy's unique "Nightcrawler," starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
As the film opens in the darkness of a Los Angeles night, the viewer watches Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal) destroying a fence. He is stopped by a cop but eventually knocks the officer out, steals his watch and gets away with his crime. He sells the fence scraps to a local mechanic and asks for a job. However, the response he gets is one of derision and rejection.
It is at this point that he comes upon the moment that will change his life. The "critical moment," to steal one of his lines. He notices a car crash on the highway and approaches. As he looks on, he notices a pair of cameramen running toward the victims and capturing the action. They have no sympathy for the victims but are essentially rats feeding off the scraps left behind. After asking some questions, Lou finds out that they are shooting video to sell it to news stations willing to pay the most for the video.
It is at this point that the thief turns into something more alarming -- he becomes a videographer intent on preying on accidents and local crime.
He finds a buyer in Nina Romina, the chief editor for a news broadcaster that lives off of scandalous imagery on its morning news show. And it's through their relationships that Gilroy explores not only the superficiality of news, but its unethical potential. At one point, Gilroy captures Bloom in a close-up as he walks toward Nina and reveals his ambitions. He is in his own space and seemingly own world. After a brief exchange, he turns to his right and says, "it looks so real on television." At that point, the camera cuts to a screen picturing the city of Los Angeles, emphasizing that what is shown on television is nothing more than a façade (pictured above). And it is this idea that Lou builds on.
As the narrative progresses, Lou gets caught in the whirlwind that is news reporting and transforms from observing the news to essentially creating it. He struggles with the competition until he learns to eliminate it and capture his victory as news. He constantly transgresses moral boundaries to get the footage he needs. He breaks into a house. He restages a crime scene and accident. He withholds information that he can utilize later for more profit. He personifies human greed and its unethical nature.
Gyllenhaal delivers one of his finest performances to date and imbues Lou with creepy charisma. He relishes every single line of dialogue with a savor that is both frightening and hilarious. But there are moments where Lou is far from normal. In fact, his behavior hints at a deranged man on the edge of his wits and his behavior supports this notion. He explains that he has taught himself everything via the internet. He is always isolated and in shadows; even during the day, he is never shown in pure daylight. There is never an actual display of human interaction (he talks of making love with Nina but the viewer never actually sees it). He has a robotic way of expressing himself and never displays any conscience.
His conscience is embodied by the terrific Riz Ahmed, who plays Lou's assistant Rick. Ahmed gives Rick desperation and insecurity, a complete counterpoint to the awkward poise and confidence inherent in Lou. Rick never knows what he is getting himself into until it is too late.
As Nina, Rene Russo is equally as despicable as Lou. Even in a dinner conversation between the two, the viewer gets the feeling of two snakes in battle, each trying to outdo the other. There is no sympathy for these immoral beings who are simply trying to find ways to profit from the suffering of others.
The cinematography by Roger Elswit is tremendous in its chiaroscuro design. Shooting at night is excruciating difficult, but Elswit (who won an Oscar for "There Will Be Blood") manages to create one haunting tableau after another.
James Newton Howard's score moves from one extreme to another seamlessly. This diverse score accentuates the film's numerous tonal shifts and keeps the viewer in suspense throughout.
"Nightcrawler" pushes realism over the edge to exaggeration. But this is clearly Gilroy's intention. Only through extreme circumstances can he make his thesis on the corruption of storytelling in the media sing to the fullest. It is a tremendous comment, especially in the modern world where anything can technically be news if spun the right way, and surely one that will haunt viewers.