Less Than Zero ** (1987, Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz, Robert Downey Jr, James Spader) – Classic Movie Review 10,394

Director Marek Kanievska’s 1987 Less than Zero is a very wobbly film version of the Bret Easton Ellis cult novel, which is much changed and a great deal less interesting.

Andrew McCarthy stars as Princeton college freshman Clay Easton, who is returning home for Christmas vacation to the disengaged, super-affluent young LA, where life seems to revolve around casual sex, hard drugs and non-stop partying – and to a reunion with his former high-school girlfriend Blair Kennedy (Jami Gertz) and his ex-best friend Julian Wells (Robert Downey Jr), who is now involved with Blair and is in serious trouble with cocaine and debts, both of them out-of-control.

Heavily in debt to the parasitic local entrepreneur Rip (James Spader), Julian finds his world is slowly falling apart and Clay realises that he must try to help him before things get dangerously out of control.

The ideal casting of Downey Jr and Spader pays off in impressive performances, but McCarthy and Gertz are hopelessly out of their depth, and so is director Kanievska.

Written by Harley Peyton (screenplay), the film ends up in the interesting category, if none too watchable.

It is Brad Pitt’s third 1987 film in an uncredited role, as a preppie at the fight.

Also in the cast are Tony Bill, Nicholas Pryor, Donna Mitchell, Michael Bowen, Sarah Buxton, Lisanne Falk, Michael Greene, Neith Hunter, Afton Smith and Brian Wimmer.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,394

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com