LA’s dark side has long been a fascination for filmmakers. Artists such as Michael Mann (Collateral) and David Lynch (Lost Highway) have used the City of Angeles as a predominant character on more than one occasion. Most recently it played the central role in David Cronenberg’s seedy and often shocking Hollywood satire Map to the Stars. In Writer/Director Dan Gilroy’s directorial debut, the hypnotic Nightcrawler, the film’s central character is very much embedded within the environment.

Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a driven young man trying to get ahead in life in any manner that he can. The audience is introduced to him as a petty thief. He soon stumbles upon the nocturnal underbelly of freelance crime journalism, a field Bloom soon realizes he has a real knack for. Gilroy does an impeccable job of establishing this grimy world where amoral ethics is a prerequisite. This neo-noir take of LA is expertly captured by Gilroy’s top notch team including Cinematographer Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood and The Town). Like vampires, the “nightcrawlers” seemingly only come out at night to hunt for their next paycheck. The character of Lou Bloom is one of the most fascinating and chilling characters to come around. His unrelenting and abrasive personality is both admirable and genuinely discomforting. We don’t get any real insight into his past. Bloom could very well be a byproduct of the times where it’s becoming increasingly tougher to survive and make ends meet. His survival instincts and single-minded focus to obtain the American Dream at all costs has blinded him completely. The socially-awkward, alien-like Bloom is devoid of anything resembling a moral compass.

Jake Gyllenhaal, one of our finest actors, has an endless stream of memorable performances. His portrayal of Lou Bloom is without a doubt his finest to date. You haven’t seen Gyllenhaal quite like this before. He’s particular great at conveying the artificial perception of affability, the mask Bloom must wear whenever he encounters others. The end totally justifies the means to this guy and he’ll do whatever it takes to reach his goals regardless of the wreckage he leaves behind. Superficiality has never felt so unnerving. Gyllenhaal’s complete commitment to the part is nothing short of remarkable. His emotive eyes draw you in as often as they make you repulsed. This performance sets a new standard in creepiness. His supporting cast is just as memorable. Rene Russo is at her finest as television producer Nina. Her character is similarly unredeemable. Bill Paxton is top of his game as Joe Loder, Bloom’s veteran competition. He’s obviously having a blast playing such a slimy yet comfortable in his own skin type of character. Riz Ahmed gives a poignant, career-making performance as Rick, Bloom’s assistant, the only one who has anything resembling a moral compass. It’s difficult to witness the character’s reluctant tolerance of such inhumanity; all for a lousy thirty bucks a day to make ends barely meet.

Nightcrawler, in particular Gyllenhaal crawls right under your skin and stays there long after it’s over. LA has often been portrayed as a sinister place, waiting to swallow up yet another soul. Here is no exception. Lou Bloom is another shadow within the city you don’t want to waltz into at night. I would be extremely dumbfounded if Gyllenhaal wasn’t up for a plethora of nominations during awards season. He’s that good. Gilroy’s confident first at bat as director deserves as much attention as well. Nightcrawler’s vampiresque-like mood places an intoxicating spell on whoever dares to enter. This is not only one of the best films of 2014 but one of the most haunting character studies ever.

Review originally published on September 12, 2014 out of TIFF.