"Based on the book by Bret Easton Ellis"? Well, sort of.
Added 7/30/2009
What can I say about this uninspired "retelling" of Bret's first novel?
The film adaptation doesn't contain the scenes and the tone I thought made the book so haunting and memorable.(The dead boy in the alley scene, the snuff film with the underage girl...) This film really can't be claimed that it is based on the book - it's more that it's inspired by the novel. Despite this downfall, the film is worth watching for any Bret Easton Ellis fan - if only to satisfy one's curiosity.
The film contains neither the perfectly depressing one-liners or the delightfully disturbing minor characters that make the book so interesting and engaging (Clay's sisters, Spin) The film made it seem as though Julian was the protagonist, while I always felt the novel was all about seeing the events unfold through Clay's eyes. One of the more endearing parts of the novel are Clay's 'flashbacks' of a better time, before he left for school. The film only touches on this in the beginning, and the flashback is about Blair, not about his parents, who which were the subjects of the flashbacks I found the most interesting. The lunch scene between Clay and his father is pure genius. The detachment between the father and son made me physically cringe. This scene is not included in the film at all.
The unfortunate thing about adapting films from books is that something is almost always lost in the 'translation'. 'American Psycho' is really the only one of the films adapted from his books that I feel captures the tone of the book while simultaneously compacting it into a watchable narrative without losing Bret's style, and this is due to the fact that Bateman himself is the narrator.
All and all, 'Less Than Zero' isn't a bad film, really. Just a bad adaptation. It captures what was both awesome and forgettable about 80s popular film, and fits the bill of any entertaining teen drama from that era (Including extravagant cocaine use by minors, too much New Wave, the once-hot but potential future star of Where Are They Now? James Spader). There are some touching moments, but it seems as though the film tried to hard find a conclusion the book didn't (and had a reason for not doing). After all, Julian doesn't die in the novel, and Blair certainly doesn't go back to Camden with Clay (Morrissey wouldn't be proud).
What's so melancholy about the novel is what the film failed to allude too: how upset, apathetic, nd lost Clay is now that he has changed and gained a new perspective, while his friends, sadly, have not.
And one serious complaint: Where is the Disappear Here billboard? It's integral to the imagery of the novel, and is absent in the film (unless I missed it.)
All and all: If you're a fan of Bret's books, give this film a shot. It's worth watching once, but don't be upset if it hardly even attempts to capture the mood or purpose of the novel.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Critics didn't like this film...then again, I dont like critics.
Added 7/26/2009
Marshall Fine's idiotic and pointless review notwithstanding, this is one of the great sleeper films of the 1980's. It was lost in the theaters but later developed a HUGE following after the VHS was released. Many of my fellow amazonians have made cogent and reflective comments on the film so I won't go into plot , writing, etc. I will say, that the only REAL reason that critics panned the film was because they felt the degradation didn't go far enough. This is ironic in that the studio decided to tone down the novel for the screenplay for fear the graphic degradation of the novel would be too much. Go figure. I say, enjoy the movie. Robert Downey Jr. is at the top of his form as is James Spader. The photography is beyond transcendent as is the direction, and the score; well....it can't be described....Thomas Newman out did himself, and very early in his career to boot.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Andy, Jami, and Rob give an outstanding performance!
Added 4/12/2009
This is my all time favorite movie! I read the novel by B. Ellis and I myself liked the film better. Some scenes in this really stand out. Andrew and Jami's acting performances make this film real. I am suprised Robert Downey Jr. didn't recieve an award for his outstanding performance. Along with the acting, the soundtrack and direction, the colorful and exciting atmosphere, make this film an 80s classic. Less than Zero DESERVES 5 stars!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Friendship and hardship
Added 1/29/2009
This is one of those films where one can see young Robert Downey Jr, long before he was famous and just feel it that he has terrific acting career ahead of him. It is sort of sad that some of his personal hardship is almost like an imitation of this film.
It is a story of three young people, two guys and a girl who has known each other their entire life. They went to school together, grew up together and remained attached to each other during those years. Regardless of the fact that they all have rich parents and live in posh California homes; all three of them are lonely, unhappy and emotionally damaged in some way. Their mutual love for each other seems to heal some of those emotional wounds.
I do not want to retell the plot of the film, but it is wonderful and touching. It is a story of the ethernal and true freindship that are so rare they happen only once in a lifetime. It is a story of love that in unconventional and controversial but still true to all involved: participants of this story and the viewers of this film. I loved this movie.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Strikes a long lost cord...
Added 1/26/2009
Don't get or watch this movie if you are looking for an awesome story line. It sucks. I watched it in '88 when I was 13 then just recently on FX. I bought this because we have a spectacular 80's party each year and we need ideas. But I was surprised at how captivated I became when I saw it again. It brought me back to middle school when I longed to be older and cooler doing what cool people did. And this is what they must be doing. I truly felt 13 for a bit when I saw it the second time. Very surreal and very cool feeling! If you are in your mid to late 30s, give this a shot. Again, plot is scarse but the acting is good. It might, for a minute, bring back some buried emotions you haven't felt in a long time.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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"Based on the book by Bret Easton Ellis"? Well, sort of.
Added 7/30/2009
What can I say about this uninspired "retelling" of Bret's first novel?
The film adaptation doesn't contain the scenes and the tone I thought made the book so haunting and memorable.(The dead boy in the alley scene, the snuff film with the underage girl...) This film really can't be claimed that it is based on the book - it's more that it's inspired by the novel. Despite this downfall, the film is worth watching for any Bret Easton Ellis fan - if only to satisfy one's curiosity.
The film contains neither the perfectly depressing one-liners or the delightfully disturbing minor characters that make the book so interesting and engaging (Clay's sisters, Spin) The film made it seem as though Julian was the protagonist, while I always felt the novel was all about seeing the events unfold through Clay's eyes. One of the more endearing parts of the novel are Clay's 'flashbacks' of a better time, before he left for school. The film only touches on this in the beginning, and the flashback is about Blair, not about his parents, who which were the subjects of the flashbacks I found the most interesting. The lunch scene between Clay and his father is pure genius. The detachment between the father and son made me physically cringe. This scene is not included in the film at all.
The unfortunate thing about adapting films from books is that something is almost always lost in the 'translation'. 'American Psycho' is really the only one of the films adapted from his books that I feel captures the tone of the book while simultaneously compacting it into a watchable narrative without losing Bret's style, and this is due to the fact that Bateman himself is the narrator.
All and all, 'Less Than Zero' isn't a bad film, really. Just a bad adaptation. It captures what was both awesome and forgettable about 80s popular film, and fits the bill of any entertaining teen drama from that era (Including extravagant cocaine use by minors, too much New Wave, the once-hot but potential future star of Where Are They Now? James Spader). There are some touching moments, but it seems as though the film tried to hard find a conclusion the book didn't (and had a reason for not doing). After all, Julian doesn't die in the novel, and Blair certainly doesn't go back to Camden with Clay (Morrissey wouldn't be proud).
What's so melancholy about the novel is what the film failed to allude too: how upset, apathetic, nd lost Clay is now that he has changed and gained a new perspective, while his friends, sadly, have not.
And one serious complaint: Where is the Disappear Here billboard? It's integral to the imagery of the novel, and is absent in the film (unless I missed it.)
All and all: If you're a fan of Bret's books, give this film a shot. It's worth watching once, but don't be upset if it hardly even attempts to capture the mood or purpose of the novel.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Critics didn't like this film...then again, I dont like critics.
Added 7/26/2009
Marshall Fine's idiotic and pointless review notwithstanding, this is one of the great sleeper films of the 1980's. It was lost in the theaters but later developed a HUGE following after the VHS was released. Many of my fellow amazonians have made cogent and reflective comments on the film so I won't go into plot , writing, etc. I will say, that the only REAL reason that critics panned the film was because they felt the degradation didn't go far enough. This is ironic in that the studio decided to tone down the novel for the screenplay for fear the graphic degradation of the novel would be too much. Go figure. I say, enjoy the movie. Robert Downey Jr. is at the top of his form as is James Spader. The photography is beyond transcendent as is the direction, and the score; well....it can't be described....Thomas Newman out did himself, and very early in his career to boot.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Andy, Jami, and Rob give an outstanding performance!
Added 4/12/2009
This is my all time favorite movie! I read the novel by B. Ellis and I myself liked the film better. Some scenes in this really stand out. Andrew and Jami's acting performances make this film real. I am suprised Robert Downey Jr. didn't recieve an award for his outstanding performance. Along with the acting, the soundtrack and direction, the colorful and exciting atmosphere, make this film an 80s classic. Less than Zero DESERVES 5 stars!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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