This is the second Oscar-nominated film about a functional psychopath. I feel like that probably means something, but I don't know what. Maybe it's just a coincidence.Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a societal scavenger who is not afraid to get a little dirty to get by. So when he sees a local news stringer (Bill Paxton) and his crew swarm over a bloody car wreck, he knows instinctively that there is money to be had. He gets a camera and a police scanner and hires a kid (Riz Ahmed) to be his assistant. They race across Los Angeles all night, trying to be the first to get footage of the latest and greatest carnage so they can sell it as an exclusive to network TV affiliates. Lou in particular develops a working relationship with news director Nina (Rene Russo), seeing in her the keys to his success.
Gyllenhaal is absolutely mesmeric as Bloom. There is something reptilian in the character: his unblinking fervor, his oleaginous attempts to be charming, and his sudden coldly vicious turns. He more than deserves a nomination for Best Actor and it's a shame the race for that category this year is so tight. I also feel like it should have gotten a nod for Best Production Design. The L.A. depicted here has never looked sleazier yet more inviting.
The sad thing is that I wouldn't have nominated it for Best Original Screenplay. There's no plot; it's more of an in-depth character study of this deeply disturbed man and the people forced into contact with him. It's a fascinating portrayal but that speaks more towards the actor's talent than the strength of the script. Without Gyllenhaal, this isn't a movie.
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