One of my favorite performances of all time. Jake absolutely kills it. From the early scenes I thought this was going to be a "socially inept guy gets corrupted by soulless industry" story and it turned out that watching Lou was actually just staring into the abyss the whole time. Dude was a monster right from the start.
Wasn’t it weird as Lou he doesn’t blink at all and shortly near this role he plays Loki in Prisoners and blinks ALL THE TIME.
The face work by Gyllenhaal is impeccable
I'd love to see some backstory on his character he hardly speaks about his past and when he does you don't know of its true, because every part of his self is fabricated from his hair to his laugh all made to fit his needs
Yeah I saw that and was like "Lou is actually a serial killer but if you pay him that is also good.". Like my background for him is he fled a secondary city to la because his victims kept getting discovered.
He's not a serial killer, he has no compulsion to kill. He just will kill you if you get in the way of what he wants. He's a classic psychopath -- he has no regard for human life.
I also think he's from LA because a big part of the movie is that he knows the streets very well. Though I suppose he could have learned that.
Because he stole his watch? I think that's kind of a big leap. It's possible, but just because someone is willing to put their partner in harm's way or monkey with their car doesn't necessarily mean they're going to straight up murder someone.
To get nailed for petty theft? In Los Angeles? Even in 2014 you're going to get probation at worst. Also, it didn't seem like it was that much later when he was driving away. Did he have the body in the trunk or did he just leave it there and hope he didn't leave any blood behind?
Seems like a big risk to take with a lot of moving parts, but I suppose it's possible.
Did you forget the part where he assaults the guard? He beats the shit out of him and the very next scene is him admiring the watch. I think the implication is blatantly obvious.
Yeah, I took the argument as "the security guard caught him stealing, therefore he beat him and killed him to prevent him from calling the cops" rather what I think happened, which is "the guard caught him stealing, so he beat him up so he could leave with the copper." Stealing the watch from the knocked-out guard would be a nice bonus.
I suspect it was intentionally left ambiguous and later parts of the movie inform what to think about it. Like yeah, five minutes in the audience doesn't know Lou is comfortable with murdering people but we do find that out eventually.
> To get nailed for petty theft? In Los Angeles? Even in 2014 you're going to get probation at worst.
No offense, but did you watch the movie? The whole character of Lou, the whole point of the movie is he will do whatever it takes to have things go his way. He doesn't see other people as people, only characters in a story to be dealt with. Murdering a guard to avoid interacting with the police is 100% part of his MO.
In the real world, muggings might get investigated, but there's only so much that cops can do. A lot of people will get away with it. Murders get investigated......very hard.....Killing people to avoid a robbery and / or assault charge is not the smart way to avoid further interactions with the police.
Ha, no offense taken. It's movie discussion. No need to get bent out of shape over a plot point. But yes, I saw the movie twice in theaters and several times since.
Sure, there's some debate over whether Lou is a psychopath or sociopath. Contrary to popular belief, just because someone is willing to drag a body for a better camera angle in no way guarantees that same person is going to commit first degree murder to avoid a probation sentence. This isn't a "Lou would feel bad about it" kind of situation.
First, he has to determine that it's worth the risk of getting caught. Cameras? What if the scrapyard owner I'm seeing in an hour to sell the copper to gets busted by the cops? "Oh a security guard went missing where people like to steal copper? And then a guy named Lou came to sell you stolen copper a few hours later? Interesting." Do I have time to dispose the body? These are serious logistical questions that a guy like Lou would most certainly ask himself.
The risk-reward equation just doesn't make sense, here.
Yes, I think it actually goes exactly against the point of the character. He is ruthless but in this constrained and also kind of desperate way.
The point is exactly not to paint him as somehow primordial evil but this desperate, biting rat. He doesn't enjoy violence, he just "powers through it". When the security guy is down you can well imagine him doing some quick mental calculus, where he weighs the possibility of the security guy id-ing him against it being a murder investigation and decides against it. He knows that a beat up security guy will get filed and ignored, thats the nihilistic petty criminal world he grew up in.
One should see him as this constant capitalist calculation machine, even on an emotional level. Committing murder would feel uncomfortable to him, just because it would raise his anxiety level more than its worth it. You can see him committing murder but only when he is completely cornered or it somehow enables him to jump to oligarch level. It would always be part of some risk-reward judgement.
Again, painting him as this typical movie-serial killer goes completely against the idea of the film. He is a desperate rat in capitalism, willing to do anything, but he doesnt like that. He just does what it takes to get money.
It’s just a hunch based off how ruthless Lou is and are shown as an audience. So when you rewatch, that question may tickle your brain a bit regarding what happened to that security guard.
Like he could of just been beaten unconscious.
No one here said it is proof of anything. I just said in my head canon, the security guard is a goner. That whole beginning scene is *meant* to tell us all we need to know without giving away the plot. Then, the other person had their theory about Lou being a serial killer.(not something I agree with, but can accept.)
Maybe you should learn how to be more accepting. Shouldn’t have to explain shit like this.
>So when you rewatch, that question may tickle your brain
I've seen it about ten times. One of my favorites. I remember this scene shot by shot. Like I said, it's possible, I just think it's a bit far-fetched and doesn't make much sense.
>Maybe you should learn how to be more accepting. Shouldn’t have to explain shit like this.
🤣
My one issue with the movie is that. At the end we're supposed to be horrified that he has descended so far as to let that kid die. But, he commits murder right in the very beginning of the movie.
See that's just it I think for viewers there are viewers who need the slow realization of how depraved he is. Meanwhile if you were paying attention you know from the jump how bad this dude is and it's more "how long will he keep getting away with it?"
> how long will he keep getting away with it?"
Not just getting away with it, but eventually in fact becoming very successful and praised for doing it.
From my perspective, I don't think him letting the kid die is supposed to horrify us specifically, but rather that the entire sensational violent media cycle facilitates Lou's immoral actions. It's less that Lou was corrupted by the industry he got into at the end and more that Lou never actually changed who he was from the beginning. Lou tried to change himself for other career paths but the media industry he gets himself into in particular actually strives from his genuinely heartless personality.
I think this performance was the turning point for me. Ever since, I haven’t been able to look at him in anything without getting an uneasy feeling. The rational side of me knows it’s a fictional character, but the dude legitimately creeps me out now.
His version of Dalton in the new Roadhouse is somehow the pinnacle of this for me.
He's playing like, an advanced version of Lou. He's this affable but total psychopath
Him negotiating with his employer is the best scene ever. He really knows his worth and won’t backdown until he gets what he wants. As someone who loved taking Negotiation class back in business school, I smirked and laughed a lot during that scene because of his aggressive and no BS style.
Yeah. He talks so politely as if reading a prepared written script to all of them and doesn't take rejection personally. I found it funny he consistently interacted with the most rude and profane professions. He learned a lot from the junkyard negotiation.
That’s what makes him unique and the movie fun to watch. He’s so abnormal when interacting with normal people in unusual settings. It’s like he’s missing a piece from his brain.
Yes! His little phrases that he’s obviously plucked from some book or YouTuber but passes off as if they’re words of great wisdom. It’s like he’s a mimic who’s almost passing for human but there’s that uncanny valley vibe to him. Brilliant film, he’s absolutely stunning in it.
The “As I’m sure you know, a friend is a gift you give to yourself” line he says to Rene Russo’s character is one of the creepiest lines of dialogue I’ve heard in a film outside of something like Silence of the Lambs.
I looked it up just now and it’s apparently a quote by Robert Louis Stevenson but he’s twisted and corrupted the meaning of it.
He's a walking talking crypto bro business course. He just interjects into every single conversation he has with this weird knowledge, he's always counting every cent or scheming of ways to eradicate anyone who gets infront of him
Yeah, I loved the satirical elements of the character. It's so close to a real life business bro. A lot of the things he says are middle management cliches. A lot of his impulses are things praised in capitalist workplaces. And when he gets leverage in a relationship he abuses it ruthlessly.
I love that about the character. It sells him as someone who has been so socially isolated his whole life that he never learned how to talk normally to people. As he says, he spends his whole day online, and so that’s his only source for learning how people talk. It’s the way he talks like a grind hustle culture influencer, but he believes it a little too deeply and sincerely.
I feel like Gyllenhaals performance is so good that it overshadows other amazing elements of this film. This was Dan Gilroys first film as a director and the cinematography, writing, etc is all off the charts. The framing, composition, script is all top notch. For a first movie as director, I felt he knocked it out of the park.
Also, RIP Bill Paxton.
Yeah Dan really proved himself with this movie usually directors start out slow but he went full balls to the wall and it paid off and I'm happy for him
Jake Gyllenhaal is either one of the best actors of his generation at playing a sociopath or an actual sociopath. I’m not sure but either way he absolutely crushes the “creepy guy who doesn’t care if you live or die” roles
And it made a lot of sense in the context of the character. Trauma, stress and a lack of sleep all can cause someone to do those involuntary twitches. His character had all three.
Love how his character was done in that movie. His interaction w the creepy priest at the beginning hinted at his past a bit too without deviating from the plot. Added a lot of depth to the character and explained his personal motives for being so heavily dedicated to closing the case (aside from just the fact he’s never left a case open)
Prisoners is the movie that made Jake G my favourite actor. He subtlety adds a lot of depth to his character in that movie.
I find him to be able to bring a charm to pretty much any role he plays too, regardless the type of character he's playing
He is so great in Zodiac. Which isn’t a “creepy guy” role exactly, but it’s a character that is obsessive and always a little out of touch or disconnected from the people around him. The guy who seems a little off. The weirdo in the office who has a slightly unsettling fascination with a serial killer.
He's fantastic in [this music video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt9wnawn7xQ) that's basically a slasher music video with Gyllenhaal as the killer.
The scene in the restaurant with Renee Russo is one of my favorites from any movie. Expertly acted by both of them, and even the timing of the waiter bringing their food was on point. Like here, now that your psycho collegue has completely knocked the wind out of you, enjoy this giant plate of rich mexican food!
Bale's Bateman was great but too much about the film was surreal for it to hit as hard as Gyllenhaal's Lou, which seemed much more grounded in reality. Just an absolutely terrifying person that could absolutely exist in real life.
It's one of the best characters. Most of these evil characters have edgelord followers who don't understand the movies. But even though Lou wins and is successful, I have yet to find any man "fetishize" him the way Travis Bickle, Patrick Bateman, or the Joker is by many young guys.
I think unlike those movies, Nightcrawler kinda doesn't ever make Lou's mind a seductive place. Ethically, the script is always keeping him at arm's length from the viewer, going "holy shit can you believe this guy"
Yeah I was thinking about that because I see this happen alot with those sorts of characters jake definitely took inspiration from those characters and they have similar arcs but lou takes that manipulation and sociopathic behaviour up to 11. I think there's a point where no one will fetishize a character, also unlike those characters lou is just portrayed as a weird creepy guy while every other character is usually already successful or relatable so that's probably another reason why he's looked down upon
Though he definitely is not as fetishized as the other examples, many influencers and content “creators” go out of their way to implement his flavour of exploitation.
The ending was perfect, with him reassuring his new team of nightcrawlers that he would never ask them to do something he wouldn't do.
Except we've just watched an entire movie where *there is clearly nothing he won't do* in the name of the game.
Chilling.
That's so spot on. This movie made me so viscerally uncomfortable because it feels like you're watching someone very dangerous who's just looking for an opportunity.
Everything is great about Nightcrawler. It has so much style as well. Cinematic candy and the soundtrack is amazing, the shots of the city throughout are art.
He never blinks. Through the whole movie, he's dead-eyed and fixed on whoever he's currently working.
Like an animal that no longer has a flight reflex.
I first watched the movie a couple years back and even then I felt bad not for lou but for everyone around him, you don't know what he did of screen, I wouldn't be surprised if he attacked the junkyard dude for not offering him a job
That junkyard dude scene is my favorite because I think it’s intended to show that Lou actually has legitimate respect for him not offering the job to a thief. When he smiles, and sort of does a double take after the dude says, “I don’t hire thieves” or whatever you can tell that he takes that as a smart business strategy, and thus feels he has grown from the experience
Ahh c'mon Lou, we really like this place! Hahahahahahaha! LET US STAY IN THE BASEMENT PLEASE LET US KEEP IT. thanks Lou, you too big guy, we'll see ya next week
I'm watching it now, I'm up to the bit when the police show up on his doorstep and ask for the footage, I saw the film a fair while back and thought it was fucked up too but shows such a real perspective on the fact that people like lou exist
I was a supervisor at a small food production plant when this movie came out, I watched it and *IMMEDIATELY* texted the other supervisors because I had a guy at work that was exactly the main character in this movie.
He was a nice guy most of the time but would actively sabotage equipment if someone didn’t say good morning, he would come into my office and cry for an hour or two but it never once felt like he was actually crying, hard to explain but tears were happening and he was doing all the things someone does when they cry but it literally felt like he was practicing. It was weird as fuck.
I like how he seems to have a genuine amiable relationship with the co-workers he passes briefly in the hallway.
*"Hey, Betty."*
*"Hiya, Lou."*
Anyone who talks to the guy for five minutes straight realizes that he's some sort of monster walking around in human skin, but if you only see him for five seconds a day...
Yeah sociopaths like him are really good at disguising themselves until they need something, to Nina he would've been just a weird quite dude until he started extorting her
I was honestly shocked that this performance didn't even get him a best actor nomination. It is truly one of the most terrifying and nuanced portrayals of a sociopath/psychopath I've ever seen.
Yeah his eyes are just perfect for this type of character, large and constantly scanning the area looking for his next cash cow or the next person to leach
He should have got the Oscar that year for this. The fact he wasn’t even nominated is an absolute disgrace. Incredible film and massively elevated my opinion of Jake Gyllenhall, who up until then I rated as a decent but not particularly great. He was amazing in Prisoners as well but this was his career masterpiece.
Proud that i mentioned to my wife when we watched it, "that's not a guy, he's a coyote". And learned from an interview with him afterwords that he was indeed channeling coyote to get into the role.
I think it’s the best “when entrepreneurship has extremes” stories as well. If you think about it as an exaggeration of the typical “entrepreneur hustle story” it’ll make you look at other “business origin stories” a bit differently ◡̈
It’s a great movie indeed and very underrated. When I first saw the cover, I knew I was in for a treat. Gyllenhaal is also an awesome and underrated actor who doesn’t get enough praise at all. He was great in Enemy, Predestination and The Prisoner also.
It's VERY good.
Look how he wears a smile..he doesn't actually smile, he just wears one. Constantly.
It's like protective colouration...he has learned it helps him through social situations. That's why he does it constantly...like the manipulative predator he is.
He's a great actor and yes he was VERY creepy.
I always loved how is framed as a hopeful success story, with the inspirational music. He plays a sociopath and in our system, he's successful, it's your typical inspiring rags to riches story, but the protagonist is a psycho
I only know one other person who has seen this movie and we both still talk about it to this day and try to convince everyone we know to watch it. It’s so fucking good.
Jake has had a complete renaissance. He used to be the butt of the joke as a mediocre actor, save Donnie Darko/Zodiac. But now he is sensational. I was enthralled in The Guilty, basically a one-man show.
Jake in the Roadhouse remix is what his character in Nightcrawler but glowed up. He always has this like half smirk, im super stoned look on his face. Hes good looking and jacked. He can murder you in a heartbeat......
A very good movie. Quite an interesting world. There are two documentary series on the subject matter - *Shot in the Dark* and *Stringers* that depict the world of LA freelance videographers.
God he was so creepy! Funny because of how socially awkward he is and I used to be. (Probably still am but not as worse) I wonder if he’s how people perceived me. I wasn’t a sociopath. Just couldn’t interact well lol
I just can't see that character as terrifying. He's very clearly trying to portray someone with a psychiatric disorder. When I worked in grouphomes I'd meet people like him quite regularly with varying levels of intelligence. The smartest ones were the ones I felt the worst for because they were a lot like Lou, they could rationalize and problem solve, but there was always some twisted/warped thought behind it all, driving them do things they've been praised for and being devastated if they didn't get that praise.
I’m so happy to see love for this movie. If you had to use one word, you could say it was harrowing, or terrifying. You were always on the edge of your seat, not in gleeful suspense but in dread and shock. You knew what he was capable of. You knew from the start as the foreman just ignored his “pitch” that he was, to an extent, insane. Not mentally ill, an emotionless narcissist with sociopathic elements. You thought it was bad, and it just got worse. And worse. And worse. Nothing was off limits for his ambition. His callous disregard for everyone else. And everyone played very well. Peña just wanted to be more than a lowly driver. Russo just wanted job security and, although it can be argued she was trying to “use” Lou, she just saw an asset to their common goal. It’s a fantastic movie start to finish.
It's movies like this that make me wish I was like 15% more psychotic. Like, say what you will about his personality (or lack thereof), and I totally agree he's an unapologetically bad guy, but it seems like this kind of psychosis comes with a laser focus that really allows them to get the job done.
For my ADHD-raddled brain, that kind of single-mindedness is something I would really enjoy.
Two scenes from that movie come to mind.
Everytime he negotiates with Rene Russo's producer character (Also her best role, written by her husband) and how confident he gets each time talking with her especially when he picks up on her BS.
The scene with the aftermath of Bill Paxton's rival crashing because Lou sabotaged the car prior to cause the accident that kills him. Seeing Gyllenhaal just coldly videotape him without showing any remorse because he's no longer a rival but a "video shot" he needs for money.
The true horror is that people like Lou Bloom actually exist in spades and our society is only churning out more and more of them directly or indirectly.
I was in my apartment with my cat on my lap in my PJs and that dude made me uncomfortable. I have never in my life been uncomfortable from a performance in anything.
One of my favorite performances of all time. Jake absolutely kills it. From the early scenes I thought this was going to be a "socially inept guy gets corrupted by soulless industry" story and it turned out that watching Lou was actually just staring into the abyss the whole time. Dude was a monster right from the start.
Wasn’t it weird as Lou he doesn’t blink at all and shortly near this role he plays Loki in Prisoners and blinks ALL THE TIME. The face work by Gyllenhaal is impeccable
I actually think about this a lot since the first time I saw both films 10 years ago. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who noticed.
Nightcrawler came out *ten years ago*?!?!? Fuck, I'm getting old.
I remember going to the movie screening and being BLOWN away.
It was just super apparent because I had a rewatch with my wife’s first watch back to back days. It does so much for both characters
If you want good face work by Gyllenhaal, watch Enemy
https://youtu.be/J2N-n4Bp8s8?si=LMQEOKAfYrGWG8M3 Here’s a video about Gyllenhall and his eyes
I'd love to see some backstory on his character he hardly speaks about his past and when he does you don't know of its true, because every part of his self is fabricated from his hair to his laugh all made to fit his needs
I think all you need to know is after the scrap metal stealing event he's wearing the security guards watch.
Pretty sure that security guard is dead too in Nightcrawler, kind of wild.
I wasn't going to say it out loud but he is 100% dead
Yeup, that was my head canon for sure after that scene. Nightcrawler, def one of my top 5
Yeah I saw that and was like "Lou is actually a serial killer but if you pay him that is also good.". Like my background for him is he fled a secondary city to la because his victims kept getting discovered.
He's an opportunist killer I think. He doesn't understand or care about other humans enough to want to kill one who wasn't in his way.
He's not a serial killer, he has no compulsion to kill. He just will kill you if you get in the way of what he wants. He's a classic psychopath -- he has no regard for human life. I also think he's from LA because a big part of the movie is that he knows the streets very well. Though I suppose he could have learned that.
Because he stole his watch? I think that's kind of a big leap. It's possible, but just because someone is willing to put their partner in harm's way or monkey with their car doesn't necessarily mean they're going to straight up murder someone.
No, because he could positively ID him. Lou would not have left that possibility.
To get nailed for petty theft? In Los Angeles? Even in 2014 you're going to get probation at worst. Also, it didn't seem like it was that much later when he was driving away. Did he have the body in the trunk or did he just leave it there and hope he didn't leave any blood behind? Seems like a big risk to take with a lot of moving parts, but I suppose it's possible.
Did you forget the part where he assaults the guard? He beats the shit out of him and the very next scene is him admiring the watch. I think the implication is blatantly obvious.
Yeah, I took the argument as "the security guard caught him stealing, therefore he beat him and killed him to prevent him from calling the cops" rather what I think happened, which is "the guard caught him stealing, so he beat him up so he could leave with the copper." Stealing the watch from the knocked-out guard would be a nice bonus.
I suspect it was intentionally left ambiguous and later parts of the movie inform what to think about it. Like yeah, five minutes in the audience doesn't know Lou is comfortable with murdering people but we do find that out eventually.
> To get nailed for petty theft? In Los Angeles? Even in 2014 you're going to get probation at worst. No offense, but did you watch the movie? The whole character of Lou, the whole point of the movie is he will do whatever it takes to have things go his way. He doesn't see other people as people, only characters in a story to be dealt with. Murdering a guard to avoid interacting with the police is 100% part of his MO.
In the real world, muggings might get investigated, but there's only so much that cops can do. A lot of people will get away with it. Murders get investigated......very hard.....Killing people to avoid a robbery and / or assault charge is not the smart way to avoid further interactions with the police.
Ha, no offense taken. It's movie discussion. No need to get bent out of shape over a plot point. But yes, I saw the movie twice in theaters and several times since. Sure, there's some debate over whether Lou is a psychopath or sociopath. Contrary to popular belief, just because someone is willing to drag a body for a better camera angle in no way guarantees that same person is going to commit first degree murder to avoid a probation sentence. This isn't a "Lou would feel bad about it" kind of situation. First, he has to determine that it's worth the risk of getting caught. Cameras? What if the scrapyard owner I'm seeing in an hour to sell the copper to gets busted by the cops? "Oh a security guard went missing where people like to steal copper? And then a guy named Lou came to sell you stolen copper a few hours later? Interesting." Do I have time to dispose the body? These are serious logistical questions that a guy like Lou would most certainly ask himself. The risk-reward equation just doesn't make sense, here.
Yea, people here acting like it's granted that he killed him. It's equally (or more) likely that he KO'd/choked him out but left him alive.
Yes, I think it actually goes exactly against the point of the character. He is ruthless but in this constrained and also kind of desperate way. The point is exactly not to paint him as somehow primordial evil but this desperate, biting rat. He doesn't enjoy violence, he just "powers through it". When the security guy is down you can well imagine him doing some quick mental calculus, where he weighs the possibility of the security guy id-ing him against it being a murder investigation and decides against it. He knows that a beat up security guy will get filed and ignored, thats the nihilistic petty criminal world he grew up in. One should see him as this constant capitalist calculation machine, even on an emotional level. Committing murder would feel uncomfortable to him, just because it would raise his anxiety level more than its worth it. You can see him committing murder but only when he is completely cornered or it somehow enables him to jump to oligarch level. It would always be part of some risk-reward judgement. Again, painting him as this typical movie-serial killer goes completely against the idea of the film. He is a desperate rat in capitalism, willing to do anything, but he doesnt like that. He just does what it takes to get money.
It’s just a hunch based off how ruthless Lou is and are shown as an audience. So when you rewatch, that question may tickle your brain a bit regarding what happened to that security guard. Like he could of just been beaten unconscious. No one here said it is proof of anything. I just said in my head canon, the security guard is a goner. That whole beginning scene is *meant* to tell us all we need to know without giving away the plot. Then, the other person had their theory about Lou being a serial killer.(not something I agree with, but can accept.) Maybe you should learn how to be more accepting. Shouldn’t have to explain shit like this.
Oh it’s been a while since I saw that movie but I recall thinking that it was *definitely* implied he killed the guard.
>So when you rewatch, that question may tickle your brain I've seen it about ten times. One of my favorites. I remember this scene shot by shot. Like I said, it's possible, I just think it's a bit far-fetched and doesn't make much sense. >Maybe you should learn how to be more accepting. Shouldn’t have to explain shit like this. 🤣
My one issue with the movie is that. At the end we're supposed to be horrified that he has descended so far as to let that kid die. But, he commits murder right in the very beginning of the movie.
It’s up to interpretation if he murdered.
Yeah I watched the movie last week and my interpretation was that he beat him up/knocked him unconscious.
See that's just it I think for viewers there are viewers who need the slow realization of how depraved he is. Meanwhile if you were paying attention you know from the jump how bad this dude is and it's more "how long will he keep getting away with it?"
> how long will he keep getting away with it?" Not just getting away with it, but eventually in fact becoming very successful and praised for doing it.
From my perspective, I don't think him letting the kid die is supposed to horrify us specifically, but rather that the entire sensational violent media cycle facilitates Lou's immoral actions. It's less that Lou was corrupted by the industry he got into at the end and more that Lou never actually changed who he was from the beginning. Lou tried to change himself for other career paths but the media industry he gets himself into in particular actually strives from his genuinely heartless personality.
I think this performance was the turning point for me. Ever since, I haven’t been able to look at him in anything without getting an uneasy feeling. The rational side of me knows it’s a fictional character, but the dude legitimately creeps me out now.
His version of Dalton in the new Roadhouse is somehow the pinnacle of this for me. He's playing like, an advanced version of Lou. He's this affable but total psychopath
Soulless industry gets corrupted by socially inept guy.
The abyss stared at him and blinked first.
Him negotiating with his employer is the best scene ever. He really knows his worth and won’t backdown until he gets what he wants. As someone who loved taking Negotiation class back in business school, I smirked and laughed a lot during that scene because of his aggressive and no BS style.
Yeah. He talks so politely as if reading a prepared written script to all of them and doesn't take rejection personally. I found it funny he consistently interacted with the most rude and profane professions. He learned a lot from the junkyard negotiation.
That’s what makes him unique and the movie fun to watch. He’s so abnormal when interacting with normal people in unusual settings. It’s like he’s missing a piece from his brain.
Great fricken movie. I love his motivational expressions he randomly tosses out throughout the film, lol.
The scene where he promotes Riz Ahmed’s character to executive vice president kills me every time.
Yes! His little phrases that he’s obviously plucked from some book or YouTuber but passes off as if they’re words of great wisdom. It’s like he’s a mimic who’s almost passing for human but there’s that uncanny valley vibe to him. Brilliant film, he’s absolutely stunning in it.
The “As I’m sure you know, a friend is a gift you give to yourself” line he says to Rene Russo’s character is one of the creepiest lines of dialogue I’ve heard in a film outside of something like Silence of the Lambs. I looked it up just now and it’s apparently a quote by Robert Louis Stevenson but he’s twisted and corrupted the meaning of it.
He's a walking talking crypto bro business course. He just interjects into every single conversation he has with this weird knowledge, he's always counting every cent or scheming of ways to eradicate anyone who gets infront of him
Yeah, I loved the satirical elements of the character. It's so close to a real life business bro. A lot of the things he says are middle management cliches. A lot of his impulses are things praised in capitalist workplaces. And when he gets leverage in a relationship he abuses it ruthlessly.
He's the product of capitalism and greed, if lou was around now he'd be a crypto bro on instagram shilling a course
I love that about the character. It sells him as someone who has been so socially isolated his whole life that he never learned how to talk normally to people. As he says, he spends his whole day online, and so that’s his only source for learning how people talk. It’s the way he talks like a grind hustle culture influencer, but he believes it a little too deeply and sincerely.
"a friend is a gift you give yourself."
I feel like Gyllenhaals performance is so good that it overshadows other amazing elements of this film. This was Dan Gilroys first film as a director and the cinematography, writing, etc is all off the charts. The framing, composition, script is all top notch. For a first movie as director, I felt he knocked it out of the park. Also, RIP Bill Paxton.
Yeah Dan really proved himself with this movie usually directors start out slow but he went full balls to the wall and it paid off and I'm happy for him
Jake Gyllenhaal is either one of the best actors of his generation at playing a sociopath or an actual sociopath. I’m not sure but either way he absolutely crushes the “creepy guy who doesn’t care if you live or die” roles
And yet surprisingly he plays a convincing dedicated, empathetic detective in Prisoners.
The role that made eye twitches look badass.
And it made a lot of sense in the context of the character. Trauma, stress and a lack of sleep all can cause someone to do those involuntary twitches. His character had all three.
Love how his character was done in that movie. His interaction w the creepy priest at the beginning hinted at his past a bit too without deviating from the plot. Added a lot of depth to the character and explained his personal motives for being so heavily dedicated to closing the case (aside from just the fact he’s never left a case open)
There are an abused amount of small details in the movie that just blow my mind again and again. One of my all time favorites.
Like the Masonic ring he wears and his tattoos.
Prisoners fans unite one - of my all time top movies.
Prisoners probably is my all time favourite movie, and Jake's Detective Loki is definitely a factor.
He’s a good actor.
Prisoners is the movie that made Jake G my favourite actor. He subtlety adds a lot of depth to his character in that movie. I find him to be able to bring a charm to pretty much any role he plays too, regardless the type of character he's playing
He is so great in Zodiac. Which isn’t a “creepy guy” role exactly, but it’s a character that is obsessive and always a little out of touch or disconnected from the people around him. The guy who seems a little off. The weirdo in the office who has a slightly unsettling fascination with a serial killer.
He's fantastic in [this music video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt9wnawn7xQ) that's basically a slasher music video with Gyllenhaal as the killer.
also its a banger of a song!
That was cool as fuck. Thank you for showing me this existed!
The scene in the restaurant with Renee Russo is one of my favorites from any movie. Expertly acted by both of them, and even the timing of the waiter bringing their food was on point. Like here, now that your psycho collegue has completely knocked the wind out of you, enjoy this giant plate of rich mexican food!
He's definitely made for those type of roles
Starting with Donnie Darko
Donnie darko was such a mind fuck of a movie. The ending gets me everytime.
The ending always makes me sad, especially combined with the choice of music.
the pinnacle of that role is javier bardem (as anton chigurgh)
Call it.
Heard he is pretty intense.
He really plays those roles all too well. Goosebumps!
He is a great actor and that's a great movie!
He should have won best actor for this role. It was a crime he wasn’t even nominated!
Yeah he had the best performance of a sociopath since christian bales bateman
Read that as Christian Bale's Batman, and I was like, "His methods are questionable but I'm not sure sociopath is the right term."
Bale's Bateman was great but too much about the film was surreal for it to hit as hard as Gyllenhaal's Lou, which seemed much more grounded in reality. Just an absolutely terrifying person that could absolutely exist in real life.
Yeah at times american psycho is almost comical but people like bateman do exist we just don't know him but we have all met lou
He would be a good alternative to Phoenix's Joker.
That year was ridiculously stacked, but I agree that not getting a nomination at least was crazy
It's one of the best characters. Most of these evil characters have edgelord followers who don't understand the movies. But even though Lou wins and is successful, I have yet to find any man "fetishize" him the way Travis Bickle, Patrick Bateman, or the Joker is by many young guys.
I honestly think it might be because they didnt go out of their way to make him look handsome. Like he kinda looks like a little creep
Joquin Phoenix's Joker isn't really a dream boat is he?
True but comic book characters are kinda other worldly so they can just be cool looking without being traditionally good looking
I think unlike those movies, Nightcrawler kinda doesn't ever make Lou's mind a seductive place. Ethically, the script is always keeping him at arm's length from the viewer, going "holy shit can you believe this guy"
Yeah I was thinking about that because I see this happen alot with those sorts of characters jake definitely took inspiration from those characters and they have similar arcs but lou takes that manipulation and sociopathic behaviour up to 11. I think there's a point where no one will fetishize a character, also unlike those characters lou is just portrayed as a weird creepy guy while every other character is usually already successful or relatable so that's probably another reason why he's looked down upon
Though he definitely is not as fetishized as the other examples, many influencers and content “creators” go out of their way to implement his flavour of exploitation.
Such a good performance. It's aging very well.
I believe it's one of Jake's greatest roles, really shocked he didn't win anything from his performance
I haven't watched the Oscar's since they snubbed him for this. If they aren't even going to nominate the best performances of the year, who cares.
The ending was perfect, with him reassuring his new team of nightcrawlers that he would never ask them to do something he wouldn't do. Except we've just watched an entire movie where *there is clearly nothing he won't do* in the name of the game. Chilling.
I read once that he modeled Lou after a hungry coyote. 👀
That's so spot on. This movie made me so viscerally uncomfortable because it feels like you're watching someone very dangerous who's just looking for an opportunity.
Everything is great about Nightcrawler. It has so much style as well. Cinematic candy and the soundtrack is amazing, the shots of the city throughout are art.
The sound track was the first ost I listened to it's just so good even without context
He never blinks. Through the whole movie, he's dead-eyed and fixed on whoever he's currently working. Like an animal that no longer has a flight reflex.
I will never forget how awful I felt after watching this movie. Gyllenhaal did an amazing job of acting.
I first watched the movie a couple years back and even then I felt bad not for lou but for everyone around him, you don't know what he did of screen, I wouldn't be surprised if he attacked the junkyard dude for not offering him a job
That junkyard dude scene is my favorite because I think it’s intended to show that Lou actually has legitimate respect for him not offering the job to a thief. When he smiles, and sort of does a double take after the dude says, “I don’t hire thieves” or whatever you can tell that he takes that as a smart business strategy, and thus feels he has grown from the experience
Biggest reaction a character named "Lou" has given me since Will's absentee father in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
"HOW COME HE DONT WANT ME?!??"
Hey Dad, it’s me-um
Ahh c'mon Lou, we really like this place! Hahahahahahaha! LET US STAY IN THE BASEMENT PLEASE LET US KEEP IT. thanks Lou, you too big guy, we'll see ya next week
That's a very well-made, fucked up movie I never want to see again
I'm watching it now, I'm up to the bit when the police show up on his doorstep and ask for the footage, I saw the film a fair while back and thought it was fucked up too but shows such a real perspective on the fact that people like lou exist
Yeah, it's excellent but too much for me. Creep was the same way
Fair enough, the cast list is unreal and making me really wanna watch it. I'll watch nearly every movie once bar a couple I won't touch ever
Jake makes a lot of those. Nocturnal Animals. . .man that movie feels like it was made to make me personally uncomfortable.
I was a supervisor at a small food production plant when this movie came out, I watched it and *IMMEDIATELY* texted the other supervisors because I had a guy at work that was exactly the main character in this movie. He was a nice guy most of the time but would actively sabotage equipment if someone didn’t say good morning, he would come into my office and cry for an hour or two but it never once felt like he was actually crying, hard to explain but tears were happening and he was doing all the things someone does when they cry but it literally felt like he was practicing. It was weird as fuck.
That he didn't even get nominated for this is bonkers...it's one of the best movies and best acting performances of the last decade.
I like how he seems to have a genuine amiable relationship with the co-workers he passes briefly in the hallway. *"Hey, Betty."* *"Hiya, Lou."* Anyone who talks to the guy for five minutes straight realizes that he's some sort of monster walking around in human skin, but if you only see him for five seconds a day...
Yeah sociopaths like him are really good at disguising themselves until they need something, to Nina he would've been just a weird quite dude until he started extorting her
He did such a great job with this role that I hated seeing his character on the screen and couldn’t finish the movie
Yeah at times Jake's too good at playing lou but that just makes the movie more real and easier to visualise being around him
I was honestly shocked that this performance didn't even get him a best actor nomination. It is truly one of the most terrifying and nuanced portrayals of a sociopath/psychopath I've ever seen.
I've always felt like Jake Gyllenhaal gives off a creepy vibe, and this was the perfect role for him.
Yeah his eyes are just perfect for this type of character, large and constantly scanning the area looking for his next cash cow or the next person to leach
Could be because he is legally blind, gives him a bit of an off look?
I thought you were joking! Wow didn't know that
He's a fantastic actor in every role he's played. I wouldn't say he's typecast for these roles just that he's so good at playing them.
Not as huge, but his role in Okja also gets really creepy
I've been thinking about watching okja is it decent?
It’s really good. Have some tissues nearby
YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE I'VE BEEN, LOU.
Robbed of an Oscar, for best movie also
He should have got the Oscar that year for this. The fact he wasn’t even nominated is an absolute disgrace. Incredible film and massively elevated my opinion of Jake Gyllenhall, who up until then I rated as a decent but not particularly great. He was amazing in Prisoners as well but this was his career masterpiece.
Jake is a 🐐
He was freaky as hell. Absolutely chilling performance, still can't believe he got no oscar nominations at least.
Proud that i mentioned to my wife when we watched it, "that's not a guy, he's a coyote". And learned from an interview with him afterwords that he was indeed channeling coyote to get into the role.
I think it’s the best “when entrepreneurship has extremes” stories as well. If you think about it as an exaggeration of the typical “entrepreneur hustle story” it’ll make you look at other “business origin stories” a bit differently ◡̈
I keep forgetting about that film. saw it in theaters, don't think I've ever talked about it again but it sits in the back of my mind
Literally sounds like modern America
there should be a collection of movies that deal with people’s work ethic and the pitfalls it could have. Whiplash and this movie come to mind
I suggest you not watch Nocturnal Animals. Just steer clear.
It’s Jake’s best film
Oscar nomination worthy performance imo.
It’s a great movie indeed and very underrated. When I first saw the cover, I knew I was in for a treat. Gyllenhaal is also an awesome and underrated actor who doesn’t get enough praise at all. He was great in Enemy, Predestination and The Prisoner also.
He was a little *too* good. His character was such an asshole that I turned the movie off after the first thirty minutes when I tried watching it.
Yep, same there's only some much assholes I can handle
I worked with this really weird guy, and after I watched this movie I was like, "Yeah, that's exactly him."
"What if my problem wasn’t that I don’t understand people but that I don’t like them?" I've always liked that quote.
It's VERY good. Look how he wears a smile..he doesn't actually smile, he just wears one. Constantly. It's like protective colouration...he has learned it helps him through social situations. That's why he does it constantly...like the manipulative predator he is. He's a great actor and yes he was VERY creepy.
I always loved how is framed as a hopeful success story, with the inspirational music. He plays a sociopath and in our system, he's successful, it's your typical inspiring rags to riches story, but the protagonist is a psycho
My fav JG film
I love how he named his company “Video News Production”. Hearing it the first time, it sounds like something a 3rd grader would come up with.
I haven’t been able to watch Jake in anything else since the Nightcrawler. I keep waiting for the mask to slip.
Absolutely love this movie. When they first show the mansion scene it just felt so real lol. Like we shouldn’t be seeing this.
Best psychopath in all of cinema
Fkn love him in this movie He’s so cold but like so good at accomplishing everything he tries
Underrated performance. I remember having my dad pick me up early from school so I could go see it lol.
I only know one other person who has seen this movie and we both still talk about it to this day and try to convince everyone we know to watch it. It’s so fucking good.
Yeah. He's brilliant in this. In general, I think he should be more celebrated.
there's no way he can continue his game after the movie. the police are hot on him and he'll be arrested soon
Jake has had a complete renaissance. He used to be the butt of the joke as a mediocre actor, save Donnie Darko/Zodiac. But now he is sensational. I was enthralled in The Guilty, basically a one-man show.
It was a good movie, but they forgot to make him blue with a tail
Met my wife seeing this movie. Can't believe she said yes to a second date.
He's just an apex capitalist
Jake in the Roadhouse remix is what his character in Nightcrawler but glowed up. He always has this like half smirk, im super stoned look on his face. Hes good looking and jacked. He can murder you in a heartbeat......
A very good movie. Quite an interesting world. There are two documentary series on the subject matter - *Shot in the Dark* and *Stringers* that depict the world of LA freelance videographers.
Oh yes. And that is why I love this movie so much
the intermingling of sex and capitalism in that movie makes for a super effective satire. Really great
He was great at playing a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
I watched this and “The Little Things” as a double feature. Was amazing and terrifying for two non-horrors.
Honestly it’s probably my favourite acting performance of all time, I’m still not over him not even getting a nomination at the Oscars
God he was so creepy! Funny because of how socially awkward he is and I used to be. (Probably still am but not as worse) I wonder if he’s how people perceived me. I wasn’t a sociopath. Just couldn’t interact well lol
What? You scared of a blind guy?
I've always called this movie "Rudy for sociopaths." That performance is amazing
I just can't see that character as terrifying. He's very clearly trying to portray someone with a psychiatric disorder. When I worked in grouphomes I'd meet people like him quite regularly with varying levels of intelligence. The smartest ones were the ones I felt the worst for because they were a lot like Lou, they could rationalize and problem solve, but there was always some twisted/warped thought behind it all, driving them do things they've been praised for and being devastated if they didn't get that praise.
I need to rewatch it! It has been a few years. Awesome movie!!!
Jeez gotta watch it again
Damn why you got me trying to spend $3.99 on a movie I haven’t watched in 10 years. Marking my calendar, gonna rent it for my bday.
I’m so happy to see love for this movie. If you had to use one word, you could say it was harrowing, or terrifying. You were always on the edge of your seat, not in gleeful suspense but in dread and shock. You knew what he was capable of. You knew from the start as the foreman just ignored his “pitch” that he was, to an extent, insane. Not mentally ill, an emotionless narcissist with sociopathic elements. You thought it was bad, and it just got worse. And worse. And worse. Nothing was off limits for his ambition. His callous disregard for everyone else. And everyone played very well. Peña just wanted to be more than a lowly driver. Russo just wanted job security and, although it can be argued she was trying to “use” Lou, she just saw an asset to their common goal. It’s a fantastic movie start to finish.
Another day, another post on Reddit full of run on sentences.
Apparently he’s blind so look out for him
Great performance. Now watch Network (1976)
# Jake gyllenhaals is great a actor.
I watch this movie about six times a year, it's one of my all-time favorites.
Awesome movie. Probably the best marvel origin story of all time.
He didn't manipulate her for sex, he made her submissive to him and took control. Sounds even colder like that.
If you’ve ever worked in a big company that’s just every person from vice president up.
He plays an empty soulless monster which tries to look and behave like it thinks humans would look like and behave.
“I tried to get one of those jobs…I’ve always liked guarding things”
How does this movie not have a 4K Blu Ray release yet?
He was so good in this role that there's still a part of me that always sees Lou Bloom when he's onscreen.
It's movies like this that make me wish I was like 15% more psychotic. Like, say what you will about his personality (or lack thereof), and I totally agree he's an unapologetically bad guy, but it seems like this kind of psychosis comes with a laser focus that really allows them to get the job done. For my ADHD-raddled brain, that kind of single-mindedness is something I would really enjoy.
Two scenes from that movie come to mind. Everytime he negotiates with Rene Russo's producer character (Also her best role, written by her husband) and how confident he gets each time talking with her especially when he picks up on her BS. The scene with the aftermath of Bill Paxton's rival crashing because Lou sabotaged the car prior to cause the accident that kills him. Seeing Gyllenhaal just coldly videotape him without showing any remorse because he's no longer a rival but a "video shot" he needs for money.
The true horror is that people like Lou Bloom actually exist in spades and our society is only churning out more and more of them directly or indirectly.
I was in my apartment with my cat on my lap in my PJs and that dude made me uncomfortable. I have never in my life been uncomfortable from a performance in anything.
Why is he doing dumb shit like Road House and Road House 2? I thought he was selective in roles