It’s really amazing how some actors are willing to forgo a career full of surefire cash grabs and blockbusters for smaller, bolder roles. Actors like Ryan Gosling and Jake Gyllenhaal have done this and created some very interesting (though not always great) movies that stretch their abilities and require more thought than the many interchangeable popcorn flicks. Maybe it was the train wreck that was Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time(in which someone decided it would be a good idea for Gyllenhaal to play a Middle Eastern prince) that changed Gyllenhaal‘s outlook, but he has embraced the more artsy, darker side of film-making.
Nightcrawler sees Gyllenhaal continuing this career arc. The film is Dan Gilroy’s directorial debut and features Gyllenhaal as a determined man looking to make a career in broadcast journalism. What he discovers is the underground world of Los Angeles crime. Gyllenhaal lost about 20 pounds for this role and he gives off a psychotic, manic vibe in many of the shots shown in the trailer. He has some almost rodent-like qualities to him with the thin frame and greasy slicked back hair. Nightcrawler doesn’t boast an all-star cast; the only other notable performers are journeyman actor Bill Paxton and Rene Russo, but the first look at the film is nothing if not intriguing.
It seems Gyllenhaal’s character will stop at nothing to reach his goals. On the surface he is a go-getter who values hard work, but underneath his clichéd mantras and clean smile is a man who will bend any rule to the point of breaking if it gets him even an inch closer to his goals. The last image of Gyllenhaal sitting at the news desk with a devilish grin on his face is very stirring.
Keep an eye out for Nightcrawler and always remember, “If you want to win the lottery, you have to make the money to buy the ticket.”
Nightcrawler releases in the U.S. on October 17, 2014 and in the U.K. on November 14, 2014. Click here for the release date in your country.
What are your thoughts on Nightcrawler? What do you think about the way that Jake Gyllenhaal has approached his career? Do you appreciate an actor’s willingness to take on roles in smaller films?
(featured image source: Open Road Films)
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