"[9] A womanizer meets his match when he falls for a woman in debt to the mafia. Downey's Julian swings between easy-going charm, raw vulnerability, spoilt petulance and an aggressive unpredictability in a way which allows the audience to sympathise both with his family's angry hand-washing and his friend's reluctant love for him and determination to save him from himself.The role is a difficult juggling act and luckily Downey has the perfect foil in Spader's subtle turn as the cynically manipulative dealer, Rip. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Less_Than_Zero_(film)&oldid=1013672362, Films about male prostitution in the United States, Films based on works by Bret Easton Ellis, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 22 March 2021, at 20:55. Julian, whose life has gone downhill after his startup record company fell apart, has become a drug addict. Ellis' book was originally optioned by producer Marvin Worth for $7,500 before its publication in June 1985 with the understanding that 20th Century Fox would finance it. Written about British fascist Oswald Mosley, the song features what AllMusic described as a "slow, slinky sinister" melody. 1 VIDEO | 65 IMAGES. The film was voted as the 22nd best film set in Los Angeles in the last 25 years by a group of Los Angeles Times writers and editors with two criteria: it "had to communicate some inherent truth about the L.A. experience, and only one film per director was allowed on the list." Lawrence Gordon, the President of Fox who had approved the purchase of the book, was replaced by Alan F. Horn, who was then replaced by Leonard Goldberg. The book went on to become a best seller but the producers had to create a coherent story and change Clay, the central character, because they felt that he was too passive. View production, box office, & company info. The next day, Julian tells Rip his plans for sobriety, which Rip does not accept. For example, a high school graduation scene was shot to lighten the mood by showing the three main characters as good friends during better times. That inescapable fact is at the bottom of "Less than Zero," a movie that knows cocaine inside out and paints a portrait of drug addiction that is all the more harrowing because it takes place in the Beverly Hills fast lane, in a world of wealth, sex, glamor and helpless self-destruction. 1 item. Chapter 1: A Hasty Last Resort "Max." Visit our Zero Waste + Refill Shops at: 803 Shirley Ave Norfolk, VA. 23517 & 4378 Holland Rd … Julian is also being hassled by his dealer, an old classmate named Rip (James Spader), for a debt of $50,000 that he owes to him. After suffering through a night of overdose and hiding from Rip, Julian decides to quit and begs his father (Nicholas Pryor) to help him. A soundtrack containing a variety of music types was released on November 6, 1987 by Def Jam Recordings. Courtesy of Def Jam Recordings/Columbia Records. 95. "You don't look happy", comments Clay (McCarthy) to Blair (Gertz) at one point, "But do I look good?" Previous. carousel. [2], Less Than Zero opened at No. It is the eighth track on Costello's debut album, My Aim Is True. Less Than Zero is the debut novel of Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1985. [14] Furthermore, he has said, "I think that movie is gorgeous, and the performances that I thought were shaky seem much better now. You and Me. He admits that the film bears no resemblance to his novel but that it captured, "a certain youth culture during that decade that no other movie caught," and felt that it was miscast with the exception of Downey and Spader. Ellis feels that interpreting it as a sequel to the 1987 Less Than Zero adaptation "would be a great idea" and hopes to be able to reunite Spader, McCarthy, and Gertz should Fox option the sequel.[19][20][21][22]. It’s something I can watch. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Loosely based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, Less Than Zero refuses to take the risks necessary to capture the keen social observation of the book. The novel is narrated by Clay, a college student home on vacation, as he observes his … The book was a commercial success, and garnered much critical attention. In the Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert gave Less Than Zero a four-star review, noting that the "movie knows cocaine inside out and paints a portrait of drug addiction that is all the more harrowing because it takes place in the Beverly Hills fast lane...The movie's three central performances are flawless...[Robert Downey, Jr's] acting here is so real, so subtle and so observant that it's scary...The whole movie looks brilliantly superficial, and so Downey's predicament is all the more poignant: He is surrounded by all of this, he is in it and of it, and yet he cannot have it. A reincarnated man unknowingly falls in love with his own daughter from his previous life. It failed to chart. Here are some of our favorite films that sparked the popularity of these danceable Holi numbers. Paperback $14.95 $ 14. Use the HTML below. Finding the mannequin in a store window, he gets a job there and his creation comes to life. His addiction is worsening and since he does not have the money to pay off his debt, Rip forces him to become a prostitute to work it off. 4 on November 6, 1987 in 871 theaters and made US$3,008,987, behind Fatal Attraction's eighth weekend, Hello Again's opening, and Baby Boom's fifth weekend. Worth hired Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Michael Cristofer to write the screenplay. The studio felt that Cristofer's script was too harsh for a commercial film. The new kid in school must battle a gang of street toughs after stealing the gang leader's girl. Release Date: 03/05/2002. Less Than Zero Lyrics. She warns Clay that Julian needs help: he is using a lot of cocaine and has huge debts. Less Than Zero is the author's first novel published while he was a college student. The book's protagonist, Clay, and his friends are all upper-class WASP types living in Los Angeles. "Less Than Zero" is the debut single by Elvis Costello, released in 1977 on Stiff Records. Less Than Zero is the author's first novel published while he was a college student. Apart from the setting and the names, the film has very little to do with Bret Easton Ellis's book by the same title on which it was based. [5], At an early test screening, the studio recruited an audience between the ages of 15 and 24; they hated Robert Downey Jr.'s character. Only 10 left in stock (more on the way). Less Than Zero received mixed reviews among critics. A young artist, searching for his vocation, makes a mannequin so perfect he falls in love with it. MAKING THE FILM EXHAUSTED JAMI GERTZ. [2] They also eliminated his bisexuality and casual drug use. Every element of it is strikingly evocative of its era. Parents need to know that the 1987 Less Than Zero is based on the Brett Easton Ellis novel of the same name, chronicling the cocaine-fueled excesses of spoiled, wealthy young Los Angeles high school graduates.A charismatic addict is in debt to a local dealer and pimp and is forced to pay what he owes with sexual favors. Get it as soon as Tue, Feb 2. Add the first question. advertisement. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. But it also has the little touches that generate shocks of recognition, from the pink and blue lighting, to the opening Bangles track, to the huge banks of TV screens masquerading as interior design it will rekindle memories you never knew you had.Like the central characters whom it both satirises and glorifies, this movie is beautiful to look at and obsessed with surface and appearance. The festival of colours wouldn't be complete without the perfect dance playlist for your Holi party. Less Than Zero [3] Studio executives and Avnet argued over the amount of decadence depicted in the film that would not alienate audiences. The film presents a look at the culture of wealthy, decadent youth in Los Angeles. Less Than Zero Andrew McCarthy Jami Gertz Robert Downey Jr. (1987) Beverly Hills rich kids (Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz) help their friend (Robert Downey Jr.) who is hooked on cocaine. Although its not quite on par with say American Psycho, … Critics hailed it as the "voice of a new generation" and the "first MTV novel." This film, while not a happy one, definitely looks good. 3.6 out of 5 stars 8. Rita Kempley, in her review for The Washington Post, called the film, "noodle-headed and faint-hearted, a shallow swipe at a serious problem, with a happily-ever-after ending yet. A soft and hesitant young man is in danger when tries to break toxic relationships with a mysterious stranger claiming to be his friend. Jeroen van Bree . 20th Century Fox In 1984, a Bennington College student named Bret Easton Ellis sold his first novel for $5000; it … He felt that Cristofer's script was "so depressing and degrading. (706) IMDb 6.5 1 h 38 min 1987 R. HD. One could stare for hours and find nothing particularly extraordinary about Max. Less Than Zero: The Case for a Falling Price Level in a Growing Economy. Probably one of Robert Downey Jr's best moments in a film career Film historian Leonard Maltin gave it two-out-of-four stars, his most frequently given rating: "Bret Ellis' nihilistic story is sanitized into pointlessness, although chances are an entirely faithful adaptation would have turned everyone off; try to imagine this picture with Eddie Bracken, Veronica Lake and Sonny Tufts." The zany crew of a New York cable television station accidentally bounce a signal off the moon, bringing them worldwide attention. [2], The purchase was sponsored by Scott Rudin and Larry Mark, Vice Presidents of Production. Exclusive Interview – Cinematographer Michael Marius Pessah discusses his latest film, Bret Easton Ellis’ Smiley Face Killers, Glenn Danzig Explains How He Ended Up Writing Songs for 1987's Less Than Zero [Exclusive], A Novel Idea: "E" Best Movies and TV Shows, The Most Realistic Movies About Addiction, WatchMojo: Top 10 Chilling Movie Overdose Scenes. Less Than Zero describes the lives of wealthy, jaded teenagers in LA during the 80’s, the age of greed and consumerism (cue Gordon Gekko’s famous speech in 1987’s Wall Street). A poor girl must choose between the affections of dating her childhood sweetheart or a rich but sensitive playboy. is her rejoinder. [17]. Less Than in Ghent Browse Products. (1987). Less Than Mobile Shop Browse Products. In 1985 Less Than Zero burst onto the literary scene. Written about British fascist Oswald Mosley, the song features what AllMusic described as a "slow, slinky sinister" melody. Less Than Zero is a 1987 American drama film very loosely based on Bret Easton Ellis' novel of the same name. Get it as soon as Tue, Mar 9. It has all the obvious things like the absurd fashions, the brick-sized mobile phones, the casting (only in the 80's could a cast be assembled so wimpy that James Spader can convince as a tough guy! What follows is a look at the youth culture of wealthy post adolescents in Beverly Hills with a strong anti-drug message. It's lazy, contrived and unlikely ending is more of a get out clause than a culmination and appears to have been written purely as a way of ending the film rather than as its logical conclusion. So here I am. Less Than Zero. Like, Jami Gertz seems much better to me now than she did 20 years ago. Less Than in Ghent Browse Products. 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