Though it claims to fall under the umbrella of a thriller, “Nightcrawler” falls short of expectations with a slow start and lacking plot.
The film does not enter the “thriller” genre it claims to be until well after the one-hour mark, leaving the viewer disinterested in the pursuit of Louis Bloom, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, for perfect crime scene footage.
After witnessing a murder, Bloom goes inside the house to record the scene well before the police know about the crime. At this point, the story picks up as detectives begin to wonder how Bloom knew about the crime before the police. Instead of incorporating this investigation further into the story, it is forgotten for some time to focus on Bloom getting the footage on the news.
Overall, I found the pace of the movie terribly slow and the plot lacking. There is no growth in Gyllenhaal’s character — he begins as a self-assured young man, willing to go the extra mile for work.
This unrelenting drive to succeed and advance in his new profession leads him to great success with little to no consequences or remorse for his actions. His character remains stagnant in terms of growth, leaving the story with an unfulfilling ending.
Even though Gyllenhaal did a fantastic job making his character unlikeable and a little creepy, “Nightcrawler” fails to excite with its subpar plot until the last 45 minutes of the film, making it unworthy of the nearly two hours of viewing.
