Vince Vaughn has an intriguing new movie and it also stars Bill Paxton, Hailee Steinfeld, Jon Favreau and Taraji P. Henson.
I’m extra hopeful because of John Favreau, Hailee Steinfeld and Bill Paxton’s involvement. Favreau, because of his work in Chef (2014) and I Love You, Man (2009), Steinfeld for True Grit (2010) and Paxton because of what he achieved with 2 Guns (2013). And he’s just generally very good.
The chemistry between Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington is the reason why 2 Guns is quite the thrill ride.
Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, you’ll enjoy the action, humour, the buddy cop dynamic and Bill Paxton’s intense and terrifying turn as Earl.
A very memorable moment is when Wahlberg’s character reveals who one of the bad guys reminds him of. I heard the words as I watched the movie in the theatre. The observation is so correct and well delivered that it stayed in my mind for the rest of the movie.
Edward James Olmos, James Marsden, Robert John Burke and Paula Patton also star.
Nightcrawler is not quite a horror movie. However, in the role of Lou Bloom, an L.A. Crime Journalist, Jake Gyllenhaal has never been more gaunt and terrifying.
It’s not just his deep, dark and sunken eyes that might give you nightmares. The audience learns rather quickly that not only is Lou smarter than the average person, he’s also, definitely a sociopath.
Nightcrawler (2014), Jake Gyllenhaal
The tensions in this great work, written/directed by Dan Gilroy exist because the audience realises rather quickly that Lou is a little more than just a tad unhinged – which of course, can only mean bad things for all who establish any kind of relationship with him.
Gilroy’s film is good and it’s dark, both thematically and aesthetically. There’s also some brilliant dialogue here. My favourite moment is Lou’s parting line in one of his last exchanges with Bill Paxton’s character.
Besides Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo and Ashton’s great work, the character of Rick is a brilliant turn for British Actor Riz Ahmed.
Overall, Nightcrawler does a good job of highlighting some of the issues with the world we live in today, plus the characters it can produce, plus the danger that can exist in the vulnerability of the truly desperate.
Watch it and cement your appreciation of Gyllenhaal’s skills.