I've had the DVD (yes they do still exist) for a while and finally got round to watching it. What a film, I can't really think of anything very much like it, perhaps a mix of Network (1976) and Crash (1996). If was totally understated, unpredictable and grim - which I like. One of those films which doesn't rely on tricks to tell it's shocking story, it doesn't waste energy preparing you, it all just happens in front of you, ready or not. It reminded me a bit of Chinatown (one of my all time top 10) in its unflinching bleakness.
The performance from Jake Gyllenhall is rightly the centrepiece. It is as good as and maybe better than any other work I've seen from him, he is wonderful in this. He plays Lou, a live news gatherer aka nightcrawler, he is very friendly, polite and personable but has that air of smiling instability. Many film characters have captured similar unease on film but none exactly like this. I suppose the difference is that Patrick Bateman, Norman Bates, Anton Chigurh, Benny (Benny's video) etc. all appear controlled then explode into fits of violence before returning to apparent normality. Lou doesn't particularly commit any violence himself, but stoicly threats and invites it instead. I suppose he reminded me most of Sean Penn in Assassination of Richard Nixon, a very underrated performance itself. If you are not easily offended, watch this one.
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