Crime thrillers have been dominating the film industry in the 21st century, and this witty but unsettling work is part of the reason. It follows Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom, a big-city stringer who is crazy for success. He prowls the nocturnal underbelly of Los Angeles searching for gory scenes that viewers can’t peel their eyes away from, each one riskier than the last. He and his accomplice, Rick, find themselves in deeper and deeper trouble as the plot unfolds. The stakes get raised even higher than one can possibly imagine.

The film fills you with the same eye-catching horror that this classic movie monster greedily records for KWLA 6 News. The eerie, satirical irony adds even more depth to an already brilliant creation. The cinematography is genius, as can be expected from a film centered around the rise of a newscasting business. With very few supporting roles, all the ingredients for a wonderful concoction are still present. I watched this movie with the intent of witnessing the classic rise and fall trope common in other thrillers, but I should have known better; Lou Bloom always gets what he wants.