#74: NIGHTCRAWLER

#74: NIGHTCRAWLER

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed and Bill Paxton. Written and directed by Dan Gilroy. 117 minutes long.

When we first meet Jake Gyllenhaal's wild-eyed, gaunt-looking, Lou Bloom he's stealing chain link fencing and manhole covers to make a living, he's a strange loner who'll do anything to make a buck. So, when one night he discovers there's money to be made from filming crime scenes and accidents he takes it like a duck to water, buying a cheap camera and a scanner and off he goes clawing his way to the top using business savvy he's learned off the internet and scamming and blackmailing anyone to make it happen, even if that means tampering with crime scenes or even worse.

This is a superbly black-humored film that's both gripping and funny in equal measure, with fantastic performances, none more so that Gyllenhaal who occupies each and every scene and brings a magnificent menace to his role hinting at something truly evil at the core of his character, but he's not alone and the supporting cast, particularly Russo and Paxton are also top notch! It's a film that in hindsight feels slight in structure but that's not a problem because it has a real sense of barely contained frenzy, as if at any moment Lou might just lose control of his demons and kill everyone while filming it.

A fascinating and utterly engrossing film, well worth seeing.

9/10