Thursday, October 2, 2014

Beyond Fest '14: Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler has got to be one of the best and my favorite films of the year! This is Dan Gilroy's directorial debut film and it is an absolute knock out of a film with its razor sharp screenplay, Los Angeles setting, and Jake Gyllenhaal's incredible transformative performance that is sure to get under your skin and stay with you! Gyllenhaal is Lou Bloom, a petty thief that will stop at nothing till he succeeds is today's modern day success story despite its grim and twisted outline! Gyllenhaal shed 30 pounds for the role and completely lost himself during the process aka smashing a mirror during one intense scene! Gyllenhaal really gives it his all and it is one of the most chilling performances I have seen as of lately that is bound to hear some Oscar buzz.

This is one film that I MUST watch on repeat because as a Los Angeles native and actually seeing L.A. story on screen that is ACTUALLY SHOT IN L.A. is pure euphoria. Jake Gyllenhaal has proved himself to be Hollywood's rare gem, repelling blockbuster films after stumps like Prince of Persia (remember this atrocity?!) to pursue more challenging indie pieces like Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners & Enemy and now Nightcrawler. Riz Ahmed is a joy to watch as Bloom's aloof and nervy "intern" and so compelling that I was shocked to know that he is actually British! If you just cut the fat off Bloom's psychotically twisted view of success, the film serves to be one of the most inspirational and motivational pieces I have ever seen or is that my psycho brain talking?! Regardless, Nightcrawler is a rare film birthed out of Tinseltown because it has the meat of an art film and the shine of a Hollywood film! You can't ask for anything better than that! The film comes out October 31st. GET READY.

Poster & Trailer // Teaser