Nightcrawler (2014)

Nightcrawler is a 2014 American neo-noir satirical thriller film written and directed by Dan Gilroy in his directorial debut. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an unhinged stringer who seeks out violent and morbid events late at night in Los Angeles so he can film them and sell the exclusive footage to a local television news station. The supporting cast includes Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton.

Gilroy originally wanted to make a film about the life of American photographer Weegee, but switched focus after discovering the unique narrative possibilities surrounding the stringer profession. He wrote the protagonist as an antihero, based on the ideas of unemployment and capitalism; a common theme in the film is the symbiotic relationship between unethical journalism and consumer demand. Gyllenhaal served as a producer on the film and played a pivotal role in its creation, becoming involved in choosing members of the crew and watching other actors' audition tapes. Filming was a challenging process, taking place across 80 locations over the course of four weeks.

Open Road Films utilized viral marketing to promote Nightcrawler, including a fictional video résumé on Craigslist and fake social media profiles for the protagonist. The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 15 and was released theatrically on October 31, going on to gross $50.3 million against a budget of $8.5 million and gaining a cult following in the process. It was met with widespread praise, especially Gilroy's screenplay and the performances of Gyllenhaal and Russo. Several critics listed Nightcrawler as one of the best films of 2014 and it received various accolades, including a Best Original Screenplay nomination at the 87th Academy Awards. Gyllenhaal was nominated as Lead Actor for the BAFTA Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, Golden Globe Award and Critics' Choice Movie Award, with his non-nomination in the Best Actor Oscar category considered by many to be a snub.