Nightcrawler (2014)

*** ½ out of ****

Edgy, intriguing and exciting to the point of madness, “Nightcrawler” is one terrific movie..... even if the lead character might be one of the creepiest characters ever seen on screen. 

Lou Bloom is a small-time loser living in LA. He has no job (not for lack of initiative) and gets by committing petty crimes. Then one night he witnesses a car accident, and is fascinated by the free-lance videographers that show up to film the police rescuing a victim from a fiery car. He decides to give it a shot, stealing a racing bicycle to pawn in exchange for video equipment and begins trawling the LA streets at night.

Despite having no real idea of what he is doing, Lou's absolute lack of any morality, decency or recognition of boundaries allow him to get some film of crime and accident scenes that nobody else dare try. His natural flair for the dramatic catches the eye of the program director of KTLA News (Rene Russo), and Lou beings contributing regularly to their broadcasts. But this is no “boy from the wrong side of the tracks makes good” story – there is a serious underlying problem: Lou is a psychopath.

Rather than being content to film the action as it happens, Lou actively becomes part of the action. He gets in the way of police and paramedics in order to get the bloodiest footage. And if he happens to beat the authorities to the scene of an accident, he actually manipulates it to make for better film. Lou also hires an assistant, a homeless sometimes-male-prostitute named Rick for $30 a night to help him listen to the police scanner and be his navigator on the best paths to the crime scenes.

Gyllenhaal is better in this role than anything I've ever seen him in before. He's always offered compelling performances, but here he is absolutely stellar as an incredibly intelligent, utterly insane master manipulator with superiority issues bordering on God Complex. Lou MUST HAVE exactly what he wants, or there will be hell to pay. When he realizes how important his footage has become to the KTLA Newsroom, he uses that importance to try to manipulate the program director (Rene Russo) for sex. Nothing will stand in his way, and his immense personal charm disguises the fact that he is a veritable madman.

The key event in the movie occurs when Lou reaches the scene of a home invasion where there are three dead victims. He arrives long before the police, capturing footage of the killers' escape and ridiculously graphic footage of the victims. He then uses the value of this film to put in motion a “master plan”, the process of which is absolutely spellbinding to watch. Even when you figure out what he appears to be doing, it seems almost beyond belief – it's hard to wrap your mind around the idea that anybody could possibly be that crazy. The storyline becomes so intense that I found myself literally on the edge of the seat. This film is simply riveting, enthralling viewing.

Nominated by the Academy for Best Original Screenplay, I am going to state right up front that it is utterly criminal that Jake Gyllenhaal didn't also receive a nomination for Best Actor. His “Lou Bloom” is so downright sinister, menacing and frightening that he just might make an appearance in your nightmares.

Easily one of the coolest, creepiest films of 2014, and a tour-de-force performance from Jake Gyllenhaal, made for one hell of a great film that keeps you completely engrossed throughout. Do not miss it.