NIGHTCRAWLER | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"NIGHTCRAWLER"
(2014) (Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo) (R)

QUICK TAKE:: Suspense/Thriller: A private news video journalist pushes moral and legal boundaries as he becomes more obsessed with getting exclusive footage of accident and crime scenes to sell to a local TV station.

PLOT:

Lou Bloom (JAKE GYLLENHAAL is a guy looking for a job in Los Angeles. When he comes across a car accident scene and spots civilian video journalist Joe Loder (BILL PAXTON) getting footage that later ends up on the local news, he knows he can do the same. After stealing an expensive racing bike that he pawns for a video camera and police scanner, Lou sets off to make money selling such footage, and he does so to Nina (RENE RUSSO), the KWLA night shift/early morning news director.

When he sees that Joe is beating him to stories due to having a crew of other video journalists, Lou ends up hiring Rick (RIZ AHMED), a young homeless man who needs the money. Despite Lou mistreating him, they become a good team at getting such footage, and Lou becomes more seasoned in getting what he wants from Nina (both in and out of the newsroom) in exchange for his exclusive material.

But when the video journalists arrive at the scene of a home invasion before the police do, Lou takes his increasingly illegal and amoral behavior to new heights, something that results in Det. Fronteiri (MICHAEL HYATT) becoming increasingly suspicious about what he knows about the crime.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Those interested in video news journalism, TV news, or who might be a fan of anyone in the cast could show some interest.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For violence including graphic images, and for language.

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