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From Amazon.co.uk
Less Than Zero is adapted from the dreary, pointless late-80s novel by literary poseur Bret Easton Ellis, which focused on listless, shiftless, drug-sniffing, sex-swapping, dead-end California teens with too much money and time on their hands--though the movie is not nearly as interesting as that. This is mostly due to the ridiculously cleaned-up script and lifeless direction, which whitewashes the baser depravity and replaces it with perversion-lite and fashion shows. It doesn't help that director Marek Kanievska is saddled with Brat Pack lesser (make that least) lights Andrew McCarthy and Jami Gertz. The only things that lift this film above the muck are the performances by James Spader as a particularly heinous drug dealer and Robert Downey Jr as a rich-kid addict with no self-control. --Marshall Fine
Product Description
Clay (Andrew McCarthy) arrives home from college for Christmas in Los Angeles. His ex-girlfriend (Jami Gertz) wants Clay to save their friend Julian (Robert Downey Jr) from his ever-worsening drug addiction and its attendant debts. Clay does his best to undo the damage, but realises along the way that Julian's problem is much worse than it seems.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By "logan72"
Format:DVD
Sure, neither Jamie Gertz or Andrew Mcarthy are ever likely to win an oscar, but you can never knock James Spader or Robert Downey Jr, who both play fantastic parts in this. It's also nothing like the book, which isn't a bad thing !
Maybe it affected me more because I grew up in the 80's, but I really identified with the characters and the things they were being exposed to. It's set in LA, but it could be any city really, as it goes through what happens after kids leave university full of hope and big ideas, then they realise things aren't always quite so rosy in the big wide world. Sure, none of these characters struggle financially at first since they are all from wealthy families, but the temptations they come across and the decisions they have to make are no different to those that face all young people.
The soundtrack is another plus - you can't beat the Bangles can you ?!?
Well worth watching...a bit of a cult favourite, and a must for any Robert Downey Jr fan !
Maybe it affected me more because I grew up in the 80's, but I really identified with the characters and the things they were being exposed to. It's set in LA, but it could be any city really, as it goes through what happens after kids leave university full of hope and big ideas, then they realise things aren't always quite so rosy in the big wide world. Sure, none of these characters struggle financially at first since they are all from wealthy families, but the temptations they come across and the decisions they have to make are no different to those that face all young people.
The soundtrack is another plus - you can't beat the Bangles can you ?!?
Well worth watching...a bit of a cult favourite, and a must for any Robert Downey Jr fan !
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Schnecki
Format:DVD
I felt the young cast was actually not badly chosen, Andrew McCarthy as the college boy possibly following his families footsteps, Jamie Gertz portraying an insecure girl and Robert Downey Jr as a guy who went on the wrong path going downhill by the minute. The vulnerability is genuine and for example with their (especially rich) parents being either widowed or divorced or else, it is believable how these kids develop post school.
I liked the film, but I can imagine a bigger potential with the book. Though Downey and Spader are definitely worth watching.
However there were two things bugging me about the film.
After 5 minutes plot the film moves on "6 months later", which I find given the circumstances and story unrealistic. These rather dramatic developments are unrealistic to happen only '6' months after graduation, it should have been a year to make a difference. A few months is just so naff, sorry. So I watched the film a second time, just pretending to myself it would be a year later, and things made more sense.
Secondly the party/clubbing scenes - were the dancing people out of rhythm, was the post-dubbing just bad or what was going on? And why would one hear tapping dancing feet? Any club would have played loud music so one could not really get this sound effect. This really distracted me and just did not convince me.
I liked the film, but I can imagine a bigger potential with the book. Though Downey and Spader are definitely worth watching.
However there were two things bugging me about the film.
After 5 minutes plot the film moves on "6 months later", which I find given the circumstances and story unrealistic. These rather dramatic developments are unrealistic to happen only '6' months after graduation, it should have been a year to make a difference. A few months is just so naff, sorry. So I watched the film a second time, just pretending to myself it would be a year later, and things made more sense.
Secondly the party/clubbing scenes - were the dancing people out of rhythm, was the post-dubbing just bad or what was going on? And why would one hear tapping dancing feet? Any club would have played loud music so one could not really get this sound effect. This really distracted me and just did not convince me.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By "polka_dott"
Format:VHS Tape
I couldn't quite believe my eyes when I watched this film. As a fan of Bret Easton Ellis's novel "Lezz Than Zero", I was ecstatic to discover that there was a film adaptation and, best of all, it had actually been made in the 80s and therfore would, hopefully, capture the 80s influence that made the novel what it was. I set out to watch the film expecting it to be as thrillingly nihilistic and caustic as the novel, but was dissapointed to discover that, in making the film, Kanievska had completely missed the point. The fact that the novel's protagonist, Clay, is effectively numb to the events of the story (his most extreme emotions displayed generally being that of mild distaste and occasionally desperation) should never have been overlooked! Whilst I can accept that a story often loses aspects of itslef having made the transition from novel to film, I found it impossible to ignore the glaring deviations from the original text. Kanievska not only changed the dialogue, many of the scenes, and the plot, but also the emotions a reader/viewer leaves the story with. Here, "Less Than Zero" has gone from being a distressing account of the Reagan 80s that leaves the reader both numb and overwhelmed at the same time, to an unimpressive, underwhelming chore of a film!
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3.6 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
It wasn't a film I thought I'd be moved by. However, I think it is...
It wasn't a film I thought I'd be moved by. However, I think it is extra poignant due to the real life struggles Robert Downey Jr had reflected and drew upon in his personal life. Read more
Published 1 month ago by vek
2.0 out of 5 stars
A little over zero but not much
As in, say, three. That is out of ten by the way , not five. Out of five I gave it 2 and one of those stars is just for Rob DJ. Made in and set in the 80's. Read more
Published 12 months ago by njay
5.0 out of 5 stars
great product
i cant comment on the dvd itself as it is a present for my friend but it came on time pacaged perfect. very pleased
Published 17 months ago by princess abbie
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not very good
i bought this film expecting it to good,it wasnt at all in any way. gets an extra star simply because Downey Jr is in it
Published on 17 April 2011 by ekb
2.0 out of 5 stars
Hazy Shades
Please excuse the pun, but I feel there are definitely some Less-ons to be learnt from this film.
Lesson 1: It is a mistake for film makers to assume that any scenes... Read more
Lesson 1: It is a mistake for film makers to assume that any scenes... Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2011 by Radiant Rose
4.0 out of 5 stars
From someone who hasn't read the novel!
I don't understand why this film gets the bad side of reviews.It's not the best film I have seen but it was good.I really think it deserves more credit. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2009 by Mr. A. J. Ralph
5.0 out of 5 stars
Horribly Realistic
I only saw this film the other day so watching it out of era context may have been strange but actually, no, it is still very relevant. Read more
Published on 20 Jun 2008 by Blackcat2
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not a brilliant film...
I haven't read the book so I won't pretend to understand that aspect. However, the film itself is not amazing - it's style is very 1980s. Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2008 by Miss K. L. Mills
4.0 out of 5 stars
Brett Easton Ellis based flick
Brett Easton Ellis based flick about LA rich kids with Andrew McCarthy trying to save Robert Downey Jnr from a monstrous coke habit.
Published on 7 Feb 2008 by Alister King
5.0 out of 5 stars
Less than zero
This film is a bit of a let down in that it isn't as gripping as it should be. The story follows three friends who leave high school and go their different ways then meet up a year... Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2004 by M. Austin
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