Nightcrawler (2014)

“If you want to win the lottery, you have to make the money to buy a ticket”.

This simple thought repeats itself throughout whole movie and it is hard to deny the veracity of Lou Bloom’s words. He is thief, he sells you out if he has to, he gets exactly what he wants to goal – glorious ill fame. His vicious behavior makes viewer to despise him utterly and to admire Lou simultaneously. He is unstoppable danger with no gun but full of ambitions.

“Nightcrawler” is directed by Dan Gilroy, released on October 31th; by the end of 2014 this film had earned 32.1 million dollars in the United States and Canada and it was nominated for the 2015 Academy Reward For The Best Original Screenplay. Gilroy’s script and Gyllenhaal’s performance in “Nightcrawler” proves once again that it is the modern masterpiece. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes the score of the movie reaches 95%, with pretty high rating. And there is no question why – Gyllenhaal’s charisma and peerless talent helps to maintain dark, intense and thrilling atmosphere during almost two hours.

Personally, I do not like any thrilling movies, however, it was impossible to tear myself away from Los Angeles sociopath Lou and to miss any of his overconfident action, and I have been watching this movie without taking a breath.

The story starts right from the major problem of main character – he needs a job no matter job doesn’t need him. He seizes opportunity by filming some car accident with his cheap camera and tries his luck by bringing record to the local channel and what happens next? He sells it! Inspired with those easy profit newly-made reporter pursuits his dream to become a professional – he steals and bargain to make more money, he uses an assistant to make to money,  he stages scenes to make more money, he lies, hides and  records, records and records for the same only reason…

Every moment of crime, what Lou follows, is extremely intense; unfailing intuition, to know where the worst crime is just happening, is suspiciously good. Some moments you just want that he would be revealed and punished, but no way! Never happened!

Undoubtedly this movie shows one thing – if you ride roughshod over somebody’s interests no matter how and what, goals will be achieved the way you want them to. Also, this steady repetition of main character’s acts is scary and humorous in the same time. Lou seduces his boss only with unique videos of untouched crime scene he has recorded. His reputation is remained to be unspotted even though policy officers try to accuse him being a criminal.  He learns to manipulate not only people but situation as well. He becomes a devil in human body.

Does this movies teach us something overall? To be unflinching? Probably yes.  To be tricky and insidious? On some point.  To remain unruffled composure and control any situation? No doubts about it. The only justice is missing. It makes you feel that movie presents very narrow and subjective point of view, Lou’s view. There are Lou’s rules of the game: sometimes too brutal, unpolished and absurd. It seems that Dan Gilroy lets viewer to decide how fair the game is, meanwhile Lou is still filming…