Nightcrawler sees Jack Gyllenhaal become Lou Bloom, a Patricia Highsmith-esque sociopath who ekes a living from petty theft. Discovering the world of stringers, ambulance-chasing journalists who film horrific accidents and hawk their wares to the highest bidding news channel, he crafts a new career direction. Over time, recording striking images of breaking brutal crimes, Lou builds himself a reputation, getting an assistant, and manipulating his way into favour with news controller Nina. As things progress, Lou begins to push the boundaries of journalistic ethics more and more, messing with crime scenes in a bid to get the best shot possible. Soon the moral ambiguity is removed when he, beating the police to a crime in progress, films a horrifying triple murder with no thought for the victims. Hiding information from the police, he endeavours to solve the murder himself, setting up a situation where he can get some career-making footage. This plan is pulled off without a hitch, with Lou getting footage of a deadly shootout and subsequent car chase, as well as orchestrating the death of his assistant, now beginning to challenge his authority. Lying his way out of police suspicion, he is now a superstar name at the news station. The film ends with Lou expanding his company, Video News, bringing in a pair of kitted out vans, a group of interns and a previously unfounded air of absolute legitimacy. The ending is one of those minor gut-punches where a detestable character not only completely gets away with his crimes, but becomes a star in the process (no wonder the film's getting compared to Taxi Driver). But what exactly is the film saying? Time for us to find out.
