Nightcrawler (2014)

The critic calls it sharp, dark, satirical and bone-rattlingly thrilling, highlighting Dan Gilroy's cracking script and direction alongside Robert Elswit's striking visuals. Jake Gyllenhaal delivers a career-peak performance as the chilling, ambitious Lou Bloom.

The critic praises the film as a dark, entertaining neo-noir and fascinating character study that doubles as a state-of-the-nation address on cut-throat media culture.

The critic hails it as a viciously funny, major portrait of media perversity and insatiable ambition, singling out Gyllenhaal’s ferocious, career-best turn as the amoral antihero.

The film is dangerously beautiful and adeptly paced, with a cultural charge from its focus on money and entrepreneurship in the news trade; Gyllenhaal’s unblinking Lou is the scariest element.

The critic describes it as a ghoulish satire with its finger on the pulse, praising Jake Gyllenhaal's sensational, chilling and mesmerising lead performance as Lou Bloom. The film is commended for its mood, neon-soaked LA visuals and strong supporting turns despite lacking subtlety.

The critic calls it a chilling modern monster movie and caustic satire on sensationalist TV news, praising Gyllenhaal’s unsettling, career-best performance as the sociopathic protagonist.

Nightcrawler is pulp with a purpose, a smart film grounded in disturbing reality and powered by an extraordinary Jake Gyllenhaal performance that examines a hollow-eyed hustler thriving in a society we have made.

The critic finds Gyllenhaal’s gutsy performance compelling but notes that the tonally bold debut cannot fully reconcile its ambitions as character study, thriller or media commentary.

The film is a modest urban thriller with a disciplined, creepy performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, but it remains slick and shallow, never reaching the gravity of its Scorsese influences.

The critic praises Jake Gyllenhaal's intense, Method-driven performance as the driven crime-scene videographer Lou Bloom and highlights Rene Russo's superb turn as the cynical news editor. The film is seen as a smart, darkly comic thriller that effectively captures real-world horror and the tricks of the journalist's trade.

The critic finds Gilroy's debut offers only a familiar vision of media figures as ratings-obsessed exploiters of misery. It singles out Gyllenhaal's unnerving performance for praise while faulting the shallow satire and failure to deeply explore the media's complicity.

The critic praises Jake Gyllenhaal’s unnerving, icily comic performance as the deluded antihero Lou Bloom and notes strong support from Rene Russo. The film is called a lean, grown-up thriller that stands out for its hard-nosed drama and memorable monster, despite a crowd-pleasing chase at the end.

The review describes Gilroy's debut as oscillating between neo-noir and satire, with Gyllenhaal delivering a standout unhinged performance as the ruthless protagonist. It notes that while entertaining, the film's tonal shifts and loose screws prevent it from being fully solid.

The critic calls it a superb and original thriller that entertainingly critiques media greed and societal ills through a riveting performance by Gyllenhaal as a sociopathic cameraman. They single out the atmospheric cinematography of LA at night and the sharp script for praise.

The critic praises the film's scathing portrait of ruthless ambition and local news sensationalism, centered on an amoral protagonist. Jake Gyllenhaal's intense, chilling performance as Lou Bloom is singled out as the year's best.

The critic lauds Gyllenhaal's revelatory performance and the film's dark, cynical examination of ambition and media ethics, noting its thrilling execution despite some early issues.

The critic highlights Gyllenhaal's unsettling performance as an ambitious and ruthless stringer in a black-hearted satirical thriller about crime journalism and TV news sensationalism. They praise the pulpy, tense script and neon-tinged vision of LA while noting weaker supporting roles.

The critic praises the film's scathing satire on news media and Jake Gyllenhaal's transformative performance as the ambitious, depraved Lou Bloom, highlighting its relevance and unique take on capitalism and voyeurism.

The review commends the skillful portrayal of the corporate metaphor through black comedy and action, praising Gyllenhaal's creepy performance and the film's commentary on media exploitation.

Pete Hammond highlights Gyllenhaal’s best performance maybe ever in this film about an unscrupulous videographer, along with a fine turn by Rene Russo, directed by Dan Gilroy.

The critic praises Jake Gyllenhaal's astonishing performance in Dan Gilroy’s merciless satire that denounces the crime porn of local TV news, singling out the eerie use of corporate pep talk dialogue.