“I knew that [my character] was literally and figuratively hungry,” Jake Gyllenhaal told US Weekly, about his character in the upcoming nocturnal thriller “Nightcrawler” which was met with rave reviews out of Toronto last month. The normally 180lb actor lost 20lbs for the role transitioning into a "mode where I was always a bit hungry.” To Variety he added, “I would try to eat as few calories as possible. I knew if I was hungry that I was in the right spot. Physically, it showed itself, but chemically and mentally, I think it was even a more fascinating journey. It became a struggle for me.” And from all accounts, including our own rave review, Gyllenhaal’s method worked and then some.
All lean and desperate, in “Nightcrawler,” the directorial debut of veteran screenwriter Dan Gilroy (and yep, the brother of Tony Gilroy), Gyllenhaal plays a man struggling to get by who discovers the world of nightcrawlers: vampiric freelance camera newsmen who track gruesome accidents, murders and mayhem like prey, selling to the highest bidder desperate themselves for ratings.
“Gyllenhaal is a revelation once again, and the control of his instrument is a wonderful thing to witness,” our TIFF reviewer wrote. “Luminescent with coyote-like eyes, Gyllenhaal’s like a hollowed out animal that spends nights hunting for marginal scraps to keep himself alive.” Beyond a great lead performance, “Nightcrawler” sounds like a hell of an entertaining and intense thrill ride. Here’s the official synopsis:
NIGHTCRAWLER is a pulse-pounding thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism. Finding a group of freelance camera crews who film crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the cut-throat, dangerous realm of nightcrawling — where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars and cents. Aided by Rene Russo as Nina, a veteran of the blood-sport that is local TV news, Lou blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.
Co-starring Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, Riz Ahmed, "Nightcrawler" is due in theaters October 31. Watch a new clip, TV spot, poster and many many, new photos from the film below.
