Overview
A driven man dives into the dark world of crime journalism, where ethics blur and danger lurks around every corner.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- paranoid
- sardonic
- disturbing
- late night viewing
- crime thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a sleek, thought-provoking neo-noir thriller driven by Jake Gyllenhaal's unnerving lead performance and sharp media satire.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lou Bloom adopts business language, online learning, and rehearsed professional behavior to construct a marketable identity while disregarding human connection.
Sleek nocturnal Los Angeles imagery and glowing city lights contrast with crash scenes, murder footage, and the monetization of suffering.
Lou supplies Nina with violent footage, while local television news converts crime scenes and victims into competitive programming.
Lou treats crime reporting, employees, police activity, and personal relationships as assets to manipulate for professional growth.
Films like Nightcrawler, and why
Drive
shares a neo-noir atmosphere, morally alienated protagonist, urban nightscape, and critique of predatory ambition
Taxi Driver
shares a psychologically unsettling sociopathic protagonist, nocturnal urban crime, and corrosive media or social alienation
Se7en
shares bleak crime-thriller tension, disturbing violence, and an ethically compromised pursuit of control
The King of Comedy
shares dark satire of entertainment culture, obsessive self-promotion, and a protagonist exploiting public spectacle
Movie Details
- Director
- Dan Gilroy
- Release Date
- 2014-10-23
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (12099)
Cast
- Jake Gyllenhaal
- Rene Russo
- Riz Ahmed
- Bill Paxton
- Kevin Rahm
- Michael Hyatt
- Price Carson
- Ann Cusack
- Kent Shocknek
- Sharon Tay
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Sundance Now, Netflix Standard with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Nightcrawler about?
- A driven loner turns Los Angeles crime scenes into a lucrative video-news empire, exploiting violence while remaking himself as its ideal predator.
- What is Nightcrawler like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Nightcrawler as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Nightcrawler violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Nightcrawler as graphic.
- What did critics think of Nightcrawler?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a sleek, thought-provoking neo-noir thriller driven by Jake Gyllenhaal's unnerving lead performance and sharp media satire.
- Which films are like Nightcrawler?
- Films with a similar feel include Drive, Taxi Driver, Se7en, and The King of Comedy.
- How long is Nightcrawler?
- Nightcrawler runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Nightcrawler?
- In United States, Nightcrawler streams on Netflix, Sundance Now, Netflix Standard with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
