Is Nightcrawler scary?

Only a little. Nightcrawler has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.

How gory is Nightcrawler?

Light gore and strong violence.

What is Nightcrawler rated, and is it OK for kids?

Rated R, and it earns it: strong violence and some strong language. Not one for kids.

Nightcrawler (2014)

Film · 1h 58m · Rated R

Crime, Drama, Thriller

A relentless, darkly-comic descent into L.A.'s gritty crime journalism, blurring lines for a chilling ascent.

Suspenseful and bleak, with dark satire. A full-attention watch at full speed. Emotionally it is devastating.

Streaming on Netflix and Kanopy (free).

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Nightcrawler parents guide

What we could confirm fits an R: strong violence and some strong language.

Scare: Mildly scary; A few tense or eerie moments.
Jump scares: A couple; One or two sudden jolts.
Gore: Light gore; Some blood or injury, briefly.
Violence: Strong violence; Violence is frequent or intense.
Sex and nudity: None flagged; It is rated R, so treat our zero as unconfirmed.
Language: Moderate; Some strong profanity, a few f-words.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is Nightcrawler scary?: Only a little. Nightcrawler has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.
How gory is Nightcrawler?: Light gore and strong violence.
What is Nightcrawler rated, and is it OK for kids?: Rated R, and it earns it: strong violence and some strong language. Not one for kids.

What is Nightcrawler about?

When Lou Bloom, desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

Yes. It lands on a happy note.