Sunday, November 30, 2014

Movie Review ... Nightcrawler

 

NightcrawlerPosterGood thrillers use true tales for stories.  Making for believable and enthralling experiences, those basing themselves on reality have endured.  Director Alfred Hitchcock used the era’s headlines to great effect, something ‘Nightcrawler’ shares.  Similar in style to Hitchcock’s best works, ‘Nightcrawler’s’ exploration of the human psyche’s darker aspects is timely and engaging.

Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a loner desperate to make his mark.  Drawn into the world of ‘nightcrawling’ where reporters chase police sirens in search for tragedies to cover, he swiftly decides to become a video journalist.  Teaming with veteran news-reporter Nina (Rene Russo), Bloom establishes his turf.  His moral fibre becomes torn when he creates deadly incidents for news stories, often with shocking consequences.

First-time director Dan Gilroy ensures ‘Nightcrawler’ becomes a blistering attack on journalistic values.  Questioning how far someone should go in the pursuit of ratings, Gilroy offers some uncomfortably true answers.  Effectively using atmosphere and noir-ish night-time photography in highlighting the character’s unsavoury viewpoints, he achieves in exposing their decrepit principles.  ‘Nightcrawler’ could be seen several ways with drama, humour and even horror in the mix.  In Gilroy’s hands these elements are startlingly inter-woven within a dark but always enthralling narrative.

A huge part of its success is the casting.  Gyllenhaal and Russo completely immerse themselves into their roles.  Whilst vastly different in social stature, both share traits making them a rather pathetic and dangerous team.  As their morality unfurls, they become drawn to each other.  This warped quasi-romance adding another layer of intrigue.  Although some scenes drag, the characters are never less than compelling and offer a damning indictment on the frayed ethics on which some journalists thrive.

An often savage assessment of today’s news-hungry world, ‘Nightcrawler’ is continually engrossing.  With a sadly all too real story that shows how the bridge between psychosis and honourable values becomes blurred in the enduring quest for news.

nightcrawler 87

Movie Review Rating out of 10:  8

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

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