Review of Nightcrawler (2014) by Dana F — 24 Oct 2015
This is a tough movie to watch. It's undeniably high quality and it's definitely worth seeing, but the total absence of likable characters kinda makes you want to turn it off. Of course, that's the whole point.
The movie is about a guy who films terrible crimes or accidents - the more brutal or gruesome, the better - and sells them for cash to an equally morally bankrupt TV news station. The protagonist, played to perfection by Jake Gyllenhaal, is essentially a sociopath.
The movie establishes from the very beginning that this dude is sleazy, but the character only becomes more despicable as the film progresses. Gyllenhaal is really amazing, this is probably the best performance I've ever seen from him.
The character in and of itself is loathesome, but Gyllenhaal ups the ante even further, making everything this guy says sound like it's covered in a thin layer of oil. I can see why people thought he was robbed of an Oscar nod.
The movie itself is smartly written and has a lot of things to say about our culture, none of them good. The film's downfall is the pacing, it REALLY drags in parts. Luckily, the film counters the boring scenes with some exciting ones, particularly the climax at the end.
This movie is dark, unsettling, and not fun to watch, but it's a very good film that makes you think. .
This review of Nightcrawler (2014) was written by Dana F on 24 Oct 2015.
Nightcrawler has generally received very positive reviews.
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