Having a random Tuesday night off of work, I browsed through local showings and decided upon the film, Nightcrawler, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The previews did not reveal much about the movie, so I only knew from reading reviews what the premise was about. To help aid a potential audience, it is about a crooked man who wants to be successful at something. This man eventually finds out that he has a knack for getting gruesome videos of crime scenes, and attempts to sell these to local television networks. Gyllenhaal did an excellent job of encompassing a character that crucially defines the entire movie. I would not be surprised if this film earns him any awards.
What struck me the most about this film was how it made me feel. The main character is a crook, and although I knew he was creepy and villainous, I found myself rooting for him. The director never reveals any back story. The film opens with the main character stealing copper and other metals to sell at a junk yard. He's all alone, poor, and committing theft just to make it by. How did he get there? At first it matters, but as the story progressed, I asked less about the back story, and more about the future of the character. The film builds and builds, eventually leading up to a fun car chase. He's a bad guy with a good goal, willing to stop at nothing to reach it. I left the movie with malicious grin, and I'm sure many others will, too.
I know there are several other popular films out right now, and the new Hunger Games is about to be released, but Nighcrawler is a film you don't want to miss.
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