One of the most self-defining and effective shots in Nightcrawler is also one of its most simply constructed. The camera is beneath the front window of a car, but the position isn’t revealed until the next shot when it cuts away to a wider revealing angle. Lou Bloom’s mug is in center frame, and there …
Dan Gilroy’s latest, Nightcrawler, has a lot on its troubled mind. It intertwines our national obsessions with voyeurism and stardom into a sociopathic nightmare from which you can’t awaken. At its churning center is the mesmerizing performance of Jake Gyllenhaal, who charms you with his infectious intensity, even as he ruthlessly manipulates everyone and everything around him. As the blood flows and the crimes accumulate, Gilroy traps us behind the camera as his passive accomplices. Welcome to the world of the Nightcrawler. Showering after you leave is highly recommended.