Fantastic Fest 2014: NIGHTCRAWLER – The Review

His name may be Lou Bloom but a more accurate name for Jake Gyllenhaal would be the title of Dan Gilroy’s debut feature film. Lou is a creature of the night – like a wolf scrounging for scraps in order to survive another day. It isn’t until he discovers the seedy world of late-night accident and crime-reporting that he feels his skills are finally being utilized. By imitating fellow reporter Joe (Bill Paxton) and following the guidance of his new boss Nina (Rene Russo), Lou’s “business” begins to take-off. Soon he is hiring an assistant (Riz Ahmed) for his late night reporting and rising to the top above his competition. It isn’t until a deadly murder that he catches on tape that places his life and everyone around him in jeopardy.

With a shit-eating grin, greasy hair, and bulging eyes that showcase the character’s eagerness for fame and fortune, Gyllenhaal feels like the car accidents his character goes to examine – he’s a complete wreck but you don’t want to look away. It’s a role that demands attention and Gyllenhaal gives his all and then some into the role (apparently he needed stitches after a run-in with a bathroom mirror in one scene). Even through all of the animal like comparisons one can make to his character, there’s still a level of intelligence that is relayed through several thought-provoking monologues. Some of these speeches feel like your watching an infomercial as Lou sells himself as a hard worker and a businessman. In a filmic career filled with ups and downs, Gyllenhaal delivers his finest and most complex performance to date.

Rene Russo is in top form as well playing a news producer who is trying to maintain ratings amid stiff competition. She serves as a reflection to Lou’s character but in a way that’s somewhat disguised due to her more conventional status in society. They both pine for money even at the cost of sacrificing their moral code – which as the film progresses becomes even harder to gauge. Russo plays the part with intimidating gravitas. Her scenes where she plays opposite Gyllenhaal ignite the screen with even more sparks and fire than some of the on-screen car crashes. One scene in particular where the two “working professionals” go on a date to a Mexican restaurant feels ever the power struggle as each side tries to control the situation, leaving the audience to feel the tension while being in awe of the deft wordplay. Thankfully both actors are up to the challenge of creating characters that the audience can love to hate.

This is also due to a tight script by Dan Gilroy. After sharpening his teeth by working on more Hollywood fare like REAL STEEL and THE BOURNE LEGACY, Gilroy finally shows he can write something with bite. NIGHTCRAWLER imparts a healthy amount of social commentary into what is essentially a dark character study on the surface. It is through Lou’s journey into the depths of the crime world that Gilroy is able to speak about the dog-eat-dog world of business and the political slant of the media. Lou is constantly racing against the clock to be the first one on the crime scene so to beat out the other reporters. Gilroy uses this as a metaphor for the current business world and the struggle to get your foot in the door that so many young people face on an everyday basis. Once Lou finally gets his foot in the door the script unveils some of the dark secrets behind the “real stories” we watch every night on our televisions. Gilroy does have a tendency to shine an overly negative light on these players in order to get his point across, which some might see as a little too one-sided

Aside from the hard-hitting themes at times, the other element that makes its presence far too known is James Newton Hoawrd’s score. At times it utilizes tribal like drums to great effect, other times there’s violins or electronic sounds, while other times the score plays like a melodic almost contradictory joy to the macabre proceedings. Sadly, Howard’s score is one of the most distracting scores I have ever heard! There are times in the second half where it sets the tone of the film perfectly, but the first half is littered with a number of scenes where Howard tries out different styles with obnoxious results.

NIGHTCRAWLER reveals a world where everyone is either the hunter or the prey. It shows us that we are all animals at heart looking to not just better ourselves, but will ultimately do anything to get ahead of the pack. Gilroy stages his crime drama in a way that recalls 70’s films like NETWORK and THE CHINA SYNDROME with a dash of BLOW-UP. The film is unintentionally broken into two parts (Gilroy admitted to me in an interview that it was not necessarily written this way) by a gruesome event that happens halfway through the film that triggers a second half that ramps up the excitement. If the first hour or so shows how well Gilroy can handle dialogue, it’s the last 30 minutes that shows how confident he is in the directing seat. Intense, nail biting, and shocking, NIGHTCRAWLER delivers an explosive finale that will leave you shaken. Aside from a misguided score, NIGHTCRAWLER proves Gilroy is more than just a writer. In fact, he’s a director that isn’t afraid to venture into the dark of the night.

Overall score: 4 out of 5

NIGHTCRAWLER opens in theaters everywhere on October 31