10 years ago, Jake Gyllenhaal's perfect crime thriller was stolen from the Oscars

Dan Gilroy's Nightcrawler is designed to make you feel uncomfortable. When petty thief Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is first introduced, the unease evoked comes from the desperation that late capitalism ingrains in our souls and the way it pushes us down unsavory paths. But when Bloom pawns a stolen bike for a camcorder and we're forced to investigate violent, extreme crime scenes with him, the true, sinister heart of “Nightcrawler” emerges. Not only is Bloom pushed to take such ethically nonsensical measures to ensure his survival: he actively hungers for these excesses, as seen in his wide-eyed, stare, which Gyllenhaal gives a disturbing intensity that “Nightcrawler” gives it its disturbing note. It's an experience that comes alive through him alone, and Gyllenhaal carries that burden by channeling a haunting, career-defining performance that is both subtle and felt deep in our bones.

Gyllenhaal isn't a one-hit wonder when it comes to taking on roles that explore similar nuances. His role as the overly meticulous, borderline obsessive detective Loki in Prisoners proves a counterpoint to his Lou Bloom, while he delves into the inner life of a vengeful novelist in the brilliant Nocturnal Animals. The actor's range was best exemplified in his performance in Brokeback Mountain, for which he received a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 2006 Academy Awards. However, this is the only example of Gyllenhaal being even remotely worthy of an Oscar nod – and that's baffling to say the least – Nightcrawler only receives a nomination for Best Original Screenplay, despite the critical discussion surrounding the film leaning heavily on Gyllenhaal unforgettable performance that anchors everything else Gilroy's impressive directorial debut has to offer.

Gyllenhaal, as the kids say, was robbed at the Oscars for this particular performance, but it's never too late to address the legacy left behind by “Nightcrawler” and what it has to say about the vile pitfalls of capitalism its direct reference to unethical journalistic practices that prioritize shock value over flawless truth.

The most frightening aspect of the film is Bloom himself, our titular Nightcrawler, who comes to life in the dark like some sort of anti-vigilante, ready to document, manipulate and even trigger crime scenes that will fetch a hefty sum once sold. After seeing a fellow freelance photojournalist in action, Bloom takes up the profession overnight and finds himself incredibly comfortable as he looks for gruesome accidents or break-ins to film. At first he acts like a neutral spectator just looking for those nasty thrills, but after a conversation with KWLA director Nina Romina (Rene Russo), Bloom realizes that the game is dirtier than he originally imagined . The more frightening the footage, the higher the ratings, especially when the crimes take place in specific neighborhoods (predominantly white, upper class to be precise) and involve some kind of cruelty.

Objectivity is no longer an element in Bloom's voyeuristic gaze, as he must manipulate and manipulate crime scenes sufficiently to maintain the lurid impact required by the news networks that broadcast them. Withholding information becomes the key to maximizing profits here, as opportunistic desires and dishonesty go hand in hand for a man who has virtually nothing to lose except his need to consume the next extreme high that translates into money. “If it bleeds, it leads” is a mantra manifested in its ugliest form, encouraged by network executives like Romina who care little for the truth while chasing ratings that are a direct result of toxic confirmation bias.

Every relationship in “Nightcrawler” is one of caution and transactional in nature: Even financially desperate Rick (Riz Ahmed) is just a pawn for Bloom when he hires him as an assistant, leaving him to die after Rick blackmails him. because he withheld information from the authorities. There is no social camaraderie in this world because only the most repugnant form of cut-throat competition is allowed to exist, brought about by a broken economy and a broken information dissemination system.

The bleak, agenda-driven world of “Nightcrawler” feels constantly immersed in darkness, even during the day, as if the warmth of the sun has dimmed and cannot reach someone like Bloom, who distances herself from anything pleasant or authentic. If we anchor ourselves in his perspective, Bloom doesn't have the luxury of longing for these gentler feelings, since his unbridled desperation has kept him alive until now and it is therefore natural for him to rely on such vile instincts.

Cinematographer Robert Elswit brings a sense of morbid beauty to every scene Bloom is in, and we are forced to follow and internalize his gaze, whether he's capturing the aftermath of a horrific car accident or the final words of a dying man he betrayed willingly. The results are confusing, and that is the purpose, because his crime scene footage shows not an innocent bystander but an involved voyeur who revels in his ability to twist and distort the truth.

As Bloom's work becomes more important, he develops a taste for power, and this hunger gradually overshadows the need for survival, especially when he realizes that he can get away with his amoral actions as long as corrupt sewer managers continue to prey on his compulsions. When Bloom forces Romina to perform sexual favors in return for offering her more “topical” crime footage, it is not just an act of sexual exploitation, but a ruthless affirmation of an inverted power dynamic in which he wants to prove he can coerce an authority bring yourself to obey his will. Gyllenhaal plays these scenes with the same gaunt, expressionless joy he displays in his nocturnal crawls, creating a deliberately repugnant image of the parasitic hunger fueled by capitalism that never fades. It's really strange that he didn't receive a nomination for such a remarkable achievement.

The film doesn't end with Bloom receiving his punishment or coming to a painful realization about his lack of ethical drive: instead, we see Bloom thrive even after his interrogation, as the authorities don't have the evidence necessary to prove his guilt prove . What Bloom does is expand his harmful network by hiring underlings to do his bidding, and this ever-widening web of exploitation cements the terrible reality of corporations capitalizing on desperation and demand and an endless cycle of lies and create deception. This also ensures that bias-based echo chambers are maintained and validated by what is propagated as truth, with persecuted minorities losing out as long as people like Lou Bloom exist.