Movies: Nightcrawler

(Drivebycuriosity) - TV channels and their audience are obsessed with messy accidents, brutal crimes and other daily horrors. The movie "Nightcrawler" portrays Louis who is starting a career as a freelance video reporter on the streets of Los Angeles (imdb). Louis is intelligent, a fast learner and does anything to get exciting video material (footage) to sell it to the TV channels. His extremely successful focused and reckless behavior leads to dramatic developments (this is a spoiler free blog).

Watching this movie was an intense experience and breath taking. The fast paced film is a mirror of the contemporary media mixed with thrilling elements. Director Dan Gilroy also dealt with the challenges of the job market and the dullness of modern corporate speak.

"Nightcrawler" benefitted a lot from its superb cast. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a striking but disturbing performance as the manic adrenaline soaked Louis, who acts like a ricocheting bullet. Rene Russo as equally obsessed and unscrupulous TV producer, the buyer of Louis` footage, is a congenial partner. Riz Ahmed convinced as Louis`s rookie assistant.

The Cinematography by Robert Elswit delivered a stylish kaleidoscope of shootouts, car races and gory images blended with images of the beauty of Los Angeles.

"Nightcrawler" is one of the best movies of 2014.

PS. For illustration I used Andy Warhol`s: "Ambulance Disaster" (1963), which I found at the museum "Hamburger Bahnhof" in Berlin (driveby).