Animation, Research, and Ma-TEA-rial Thoughts

Better late than never: Thoughts on “Nightcrawler”

December 12, 2014

ruthelizabeth23

This morning the Golden Globe nominations were announced, and Jake Gyllenhaal has been deservingly nominated for Best Actor award for his role in Dan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler. It’s always ‘better late than never’ when it comes to writing; even though it’s been nearly a week since I saw the film, in this case the distance has given me ample time to reflect on this slick, highly entertaining and slightly disturbing thriller.

Set in the nocturnal, neon world of L.A., Gyllenhaal is Lou Bloom, a highly driven young man who will do whatever he needs to do to find work. He discovers the world of ‘nightcrawling’, cameramen who drive around at night, capturing the seedy, criminal, chaotic side of L.A. for the morning news programs. Forming a relationship with Nina Romina (Rene Russo), a producer for an early morning news program, Lou throws himself into his new work, and does whatever it takes to be the best. As Lou gets better and better at what he does, edging out the competition, he crosses the line in order to stay on top of the game…

We are never given a huge insight into Lou Bloom’s life, except for a brief clue when he tells Nina that he ‘never had much in the way of a formal education.’ Everything Lou knows has been self-taught. He spits out facts and career advice in an almost robotic manner. He’s driven, cunning, and as the film goes on, his true ruthlessness becomes clear. Gyllenhaal is almost unrecognisable, his appearance almost gaunt, and his eyes often wider than should be possible. It is his best, most memorable performance to date. Lou’s hunger and desire to succeed, at any cost, is palpable. There is always the sense of something dangerous simmering just beneath the surface, and when we catch a glimpse of it, it’s terrifying. We become more and more tense as the film goes on, wondering just how far Lou will go to beat the competition. We are left questioning what, if any, kind of conscience he has.

Of course, there is an underlying commentary (that everyone has noted) on the ethical and moral implications of this type of media coverage and on the nature of ‘sensationalist’ journalism in particular. Society as we know it could almost be defined by how much media we consume, and we are offered so much on so many platforms. We are consumers, and there is a critique of that aspect of society in Nightcrawler as well. I was put in mind of shows like Cops in particular (which I’ve never been a fan of) and tabloid news – all about the shock value. Working in the media, I did recognise aspects of the industry in the scenes taking place in the newsroom, but it is an incredibly cynical view of the media, and an exaggeration (for the most part!) The exaggeration does exactly what Bloom and all the nightcrawlers in the movie aim to do – create thrills, shock value, grab the audiences attention. There is something intoxicating about what Bloom does, and writer/director Dan Gilroy capitalises on this to create an electrifying thriller.

Backed up by an excellent supporting cast including Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton, with a fantastic aesthetic that manages to be both glossy and gritty, Nightcrawler is a must-see, exhilarating experience.

4/5

2015 Blind Spot Series

December 6, 2014

ruthelizabeth23

As I’m hopefully returning to study next year (making watching films every day a difficult challenge to say the least!), and because I always seem to have so many films on my watch-list, I’ve decided 2015 is the year I’ll undertake the Blind Spot challenge! The challenge was started by Ryan over at The Matinee, and it’s a fantastic idea. With any luck, I’ll knock out twelve films, one per month, off my watch list that I really should have seen by now! I like to think of this list as a motivator – I’ll set aside time each month to relax and take in a classic.

Here are the films I’ve decided on for 2015:

Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese; 1990)