This post includes a brief plot summary and an explanation about the ending of the film “Nightcrawler” (2014). Beware of spoilers.
Directed by Dan Gilroy, the 2014 psychological thriller stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Louis “Lou” Bloom, Rene Russo as Nina Romina and Riz Ahmed as Rick.
The film “Nightcrawler” is about a man, Louis “Lou” Bloom, who is desperate for work and money. One day, he runs into some stringers, people who sell their footage of crimes and accidents to local news stations. To earn some extra income, Lou decides to become a stringer himself. Shortly after, he starts roaming the streets at night, looking for violent and sensational events to record.
What Happens in Nightcrawler? (Plot Explained)
Lou sells his first footage to KWLA 6, a low-rated news station run by Nina Romina. As his business grows, Lou hires a young man named Rick as his assistant and navigator. Meanwhile, Lou develops a strange attraction to Nina and coerces her to have sex with him in exchange for exclusive footage.
The more footage Lou sells, the more ruthless and ambitious he becomes. Lou even goes to extreme lengths, such as staging and manipulating crime scenes to get better shots. At one point, Lou even sabotages his competitor’s van, which results in a horrific car accident and films it to sell the footage.
Lou’s biggest scoop comes when he arrives at the scene of a home invasion before the police. Illegally, Lou enters the mansion and films the dead bodies of a wealthy family and the faces of the armed robbers. He edits out the robbers’ faces and sells the footage to Nina. In exchange for more videos regarding the suspects, Lou wants more money and airtime.
To obtain more footage, Lou follows the robbers to a restaurant and anonymously calls the police. A shootout ensues and Lou does nothing but capture the violent images. Then, he convinces Rick to check out whether the robbers are still alive. One of them fatally shoots Rick, and instead of helping him, Lou backs off to film the scene.
After the shootout, the police reach out to Lou. During the investigation, Lou lies to the police about what happened. Although the detectives suspect Lou of being the instigator behind the shootout, they have no evidence against him.
The Ending of “Nightcrawler” Explained
The ending of “Nightcrawler” shows Lou as a free man thriving in life. After the incident, Lou starts his own video production company. He greets his new interns, who are unaware of his crimes, with a speech about his vision and values.
There are many disturbing revelations that come to the surface at the end of “Nightcrawler”. First of all, Lou plotted murder against his own assistant, Rick. Second, Nina Romina is somehow an accomplice to Lou Bloom’s crimes.
What is Lou’s motive for wanting Rick dead?
Lou wanted Rick dead in Nightcrawler because Rick was a threat to his success and his ego. When Rick caught on to Lou’s questionable methods to get the latest and hottest footage, he started demanding more money and respect. And Lou didn’t like that one bit. From that moment on, Lou saw him as a nuisance and a liability to his business.
Since Lou knew that Rick witnessed him tampering with a crime scene, that means he could also potentially expose him to the police. In order to eliminate the “threat”, Lou deliberately put Rick in a dangerous situation. He kind of hoped that one of the gunmen would shoot Rick, and his wish came true.
How is Nina Romina an accomplice to Lou Bloom’s crimes in “Nightcrawler”?
Nina Romina is somewhat an accomplice to Lou Bloom’s crimes in Nightcrawler because she enabled and encouraged his unethical behaviour. The news director was desperate for sensational stories to boost her rating and keep her job. She went to extreme lengths to accomplish her goals, which included sleeping with Lou, which gave him more leverage over her.
When Nina was getting the results that she wanted, the news director was willing to overlook Lou’s questionable methods and pay him well for his exclusive footage. Not for a single moment did she ever question Lou about the bloody scenes or edited videos. Nina even defended Lou when her colleagues raised concerns about the credibility and legality of the footage.
The ending of “Nightcrawler” suggests that the media industry is a ruthless and unethical business that exploits violence and human suffering for profit. Lou Bloom gets away with crimes and expands his business. Meanwhile, the police cannot do anything about it, and the general public has no idea about it.
Nightcrawler Analysis and Themes
The film “Nightcrawler” explores the themes of media, ambition and capitalism. There is some social commentary in “Nightcrawler”. The story serves as a strong reminder of the negative consequences of unchecked ambition and how desperate individuals can become in highly capitalist societies.
Nina Romina represents the dark side of media. The news director is constantly looking for ways to exploit violence and human suffering for the benefit of her channel. One could say she is constantly feeding the media’s constant thirst for sensationalism, prioritizing “entertainment” over ethical journalism.
Ambition is also another theme in “Nightcrawler”. The protagonist is a tenacious individual always looking for the next “gig”. And when he finally landed on a profitable niche, Lou Bloom did not hesitate to make as much money as he could. However, his success also came at the expense of others’.
Then, there is a strong criticism of capitalism in “Nightcrawler”. The film shows how the effects of a struggling economy trickle down to the individual, leading them to make immoral decisions in pursuit of financial success. In “Nightcrawler”, Lou Bloom represents the dark side of the American dream, and Nina Romina is no more concerned with integrity than Lou is in the pursuit of her goals.
Final Thoughts
In my opinion, “Nightcrawler” is more than an interesting watch, it’s a masterpiece. The film is provocative and thought-provoking. Also, “Nightcrawler” showcases Jake Gyllenhaal’s exceptional talent. The actor really gave the audience a memorable and powerful performance as Lou Bloom.
“Nightcrawler” uses the dark and morally ambiguous world of crime journalism as a medium to expose the unsettling lengths to which people are willing to go for success. The film challenges the audience to question their own values of what is right and wrong, leaving them with a sense of unease.
As mentioned before, Jake Gyllenhaal was perfect as Lou Bloom. He delivered a mesmerizing and transformative performance as the ambitious and morally ambiguous protagonist. Also, Gyllenhaal did the almost impossible: he made Lou Bloom charming, despite his character lacking any other redeeming qualities.
The themes of “Nightcrawler” are rather universal, but what makes the film stand out is its execution. Aesthetically, “Nightcrawler” combines elements of the neo-noir and thriller genres, creating a tense and gripping atmosphere. The visuals of the gritty and dark underbelly of Los Angeles really enhance the overall experience.
Overall, Nightcrawler is a remarkable film that pushes boundaries and challenges the audience’s perception. Jake Gyllenhaal’s masterful performance, coupled with the film’s exploration of provocative themes, makes “Nightcrawler” an outstanding work of art.
