The Nightcrawler
The Dark Horse reviews ‘The Nightcrawler’.
Often I feel that I am a creature of the night. No, I am not a vampire, or work the graveyard shift at the local establishment, I have already gone through those phases, but more specifically, I think I am a fan of films set at night, especially if they are based in metropolis environments. Films, such as The Warriors (1979), Dazed and Confused (1993), Bladerunner (1982), Escape from New York (1981) and Drive (2011) - my personal favourite film of that year, are just some of the classic examples of this sub-like-genre. Whether it could be, for example, the cinematography, the landscape, the narratives, the sound design or the characters that are of these environments, I am always a sucker for such motion pictures, and this notion of mine was confirmed when I sat down in my local cinema to watch Jake Gyllenhaal’s latest, The Nightcrawler.
Written and directed by first-timer, Dan Gilroy, the story focuses on Louis Bloom (Gyllenhaal), an obsessive, creepy man who will do anything to make a name for himself and be successful at any price, stumbles upon the idea of becoming a freelance videographer of crime scenes, in and around the L.A. basin and suburbs; his modus operandi, to get to the crime scenes before any other videographer or reporter, or if he can, before any emergency services.
At the heart of the film’s narrative is Gyllenhaal’s Bloom- a man with little to show in, in terms of achievement and recognition. Even from our first encounter with him, or should I say the security guards encounter, you can gauge that he is of a different nature- someone who doesn’t quite belong in the general crowd- someone who lurks on the periphery, a creature of the night, moreover someone who is both intelligent and articulate, but also menacing and cruel at the same time; what other criminal and nefarious activities has he carried out prior to our meeting with him?
It is Bloom’s determined and somewhat ferocious desire to be someone who is successful and of recognition that is the driving force behind the film’s narrative; he will do anything to get there first, manipulate the perfect composition and capture the picture everyone wants to see through the media. He is relentless, unforgiving, overtly ambitious and consciously-lacking. Like the presence of Gyllenhaal’s Bloom, the film is lean, mean, threatening and audacious- the perfect blend for a cinematic trip through the accident-prone and criminal-infested streets of L.A.’s twilight. For me, this is Gyllenhaal’s man-of-the-hour moment- he truly shines with confidence, assurance and boldness. He is both mesmerising and chilling to watch at the same time. It will be hard for him to top this performance- dare I say a big contender for awards season?
There are so many tremendous aspects of The Nightcrawler that make it a winning formula and so memorable, but I will never forget two, key set-pieces in the film that had me on the edge of my seat and heart beating at an abnormal speed. Trust me, I am not going to spoil it for you, but the mansion break-in scene and the final chase scene are truly breathtaking and gripping. I would love to know what you think of them.
I knew from the opening credits that I was in for a treat; the initial stunning shots of the neon vista of L.A. (the cinematography is crisp and clear- and don’t get me started on the beautiful panoramic widescreen lesing), along with its pulsating soundtrack, and somewhat sense of juxtaposing darkness, I was captured and sucked-into from the get-go. It is safe to say that I think The Nightcrawler is a superb film, and one which will stay with me for quite sometime. Yes, the film is primarily about the race to accidents and criminal activities, and the motivations of the news source, but it is also an excellent satire on media, journalism, sensationalism and capitalism, which gives the film more depth and range to the regular chase and thrill ride the through the streets. As first time writer and director, Dan Gilroy (brother of established director, Tony and husband of Reno Russo, who actually stars in the film), has created a fine piece of work. This neon noir film is thrilling, engrossing, confidently-directed, heart-pounding and darkly-comedic, and will certainly put Gilroy on the map for sure, but seriously, why has it taken him so long to make a film? Please Dan, all I ask of you, is don’t leave it too long until your next feature. I wait with bated breath.
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