Nightcrawler (2014)

Nightcrawler. This is a film I have seen previously and throughly enjoyed and so decided to watch it again to see if my opinion had changed. The protagonist Lou Bloom portrayed spectacularly by Jake Gyllenhaal is a captivating character to see on screen due to his psychopathic/sociopathic traits that leave the audience shocked and oblivious as to what he will do next. Gyllenhaal's character is very motivated to be successful with no afflictions to breaking the law or enacting morally wrong solutions to problems, depicting him as a ruthless, menacing individual. This further creates a suspensful atmosphere due to the accelaration in the serverity of his crimes, imploring the audience to wonder if there is anything Lou isn’t willing to do to in his crusade to success. Despite this, Gyllenhaal's character appears very pleasant in social situations and comes across as harmless due to his stature and demeanour. This oxymoronic behaviour further adds to the engima of his character.

The relationships forged throughout the film demonstrate Lou's exploitative, manipluative behaviour, especially those with Nina and Rick. Lou is illustrated to be a very calculated, devious individual, as he manages to leverage his business value, pressuring his contractor Nina into sexual relations. His negotiation tactics throughout this scene further demonstrate Lou's coldness as he proposes the exchange to be a simple business transaction. His relationship with his employee Rick further highlights Lou's selfish intentions as he recognises and takes advantage of Rick's vulnerable position as homeless man by hiring him as an extremely low wage 'apprentice' with continual promises of a strongly desired pay rise. Lou's subtle victimisation of Rick culminates in the climax of the film with a heartless betrayl, as Rick is fatally shot following purposeful directives from Lou. This scene cemented audience suspicions of Lou as having no morality, presenting him once again as a person driven by individual gain as he sacrifices his employee to gain profitable footage of his death.

The film is alluring due to Gyllenhaal's character, who creates suspense and intrigue. The power dynamics he imposes in his relationships are vivid portrayls of his controlling, selfish nature which coupled with his carefully curated public perception of professionalism ensnares the audience, making it extremely difficult to turn away from the screen. The dark, gritty depiction of Los Angeles is a further enchanting aspect of the film, instilling at points a daunting, fearsome world view onto the audience.


Movie rating: 7.5/10

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