Jake Gyllenhaal has played a variety of guys, from vulnerable to secretive to downright spooky, but Louis Bloom has got to be his oddest, most fascinating creation yet. The disarming and wholly engrossing way he develops this cryptic character, on top of first-time director Dan Gilroy's knack for subtly building suspense before lowering the boom, makes "Nightcrawler" one of the year's most satisfying and original thrillers.

Bloom is a two-bit L.A. hustler who survives by stealing metal from scrap yards and bikes from Venice Beach. An awkward loner who has such trouble reading social signals it's almost charming — but not quite — his sole expression of concern for other living matter seems to be watering the spindly houseplant in his barely furnished apartment where he earnestly memorizes the online tutorials of motivational speakers.

When he happens upon a bad car accident, he sees hordes of ruthless mercenary videographers descend in hopes of getting first dibs on the gore. A coldblooded natural voyeur, he is instantly drawn to what will become his life's calling — cruising the streets with a police scanner, hoping to get to the scenes of shootings and accidents before the cops do, then selling his if-it-bleeds-it-leads footage to the highest TV-news bidder.

Before the speed spikes up about two-thirds of the way through the movie, there's time to ponder just how in the heck Bloom got to be such a blazing weirdo, but that's purposefully left ambiguous. It's also unclear exactly why he had to be so frightfully gaunt, but Gyllenhaal, who lost more than 20 pounds for the role, has likened the character to a coyote. His huge eyes, made even more pronounced by hollowed cheeks, do take on a soulless, feral look as he scavenges for bloodbaths in the deep of night.

As Nina, a desperate producer whose news show is behind in the ratings, Rene Russo brings just the right touch of been-too-long-at-the-fair cynicism as she cuts ethical corners right along with her new protégé, whose interest in her soon becomes more than monetary. Bloom oscillates between harmless social ineptness and more troubling behavior, but as his ambition and adrenaline escalate, so do his ruthless, conscience-free tactics.

Although Gilroy is an experienced action-pic screenwriter ("The Bourne Legacy," "Two for the Money"), his script for "Nightcrawler" is his most sophisticated yet, folding in a twist or two you won't see coming. The mood-setting camerawork of Robert Elswit ("Michael Clayton") glides easily between nail-biter car-chase scenes and eerily detached suburban stillness.

"I like to say that if you're seeing me, you're having the worst day of your life" becomes Bloom's catchphrase. Sooner or later, that turns out to be true not only for the strangers whose tragedies he exploits, but people he knows.

What "Nightcrawler" says about the state of television news is a tired trope wisely kept incidental. The unique creepiness Gyllenhaal brings to Bloom is what enthralls, and makes you glad he's not based on an actual guy. Or makes you hope not, anyway.

Kristin.Tillotson@startribune.com

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