film: LESS than ZERO - fave 80s movie

[mariacallas]

I just recently got to see one of my favorite 80s movies on DVD, LESS than ZEro starring Robert Downey at the peak of his career, before all his drug-related problems. Watching the opening scenes, the music, the cinematography and the amazing actors (jami gertz,andrew mc carth and robert downey are so wonderfully real here its fascinating to watch them act....) i was immediately transported back into my 80s heyday.....i can think of no other movie that has portrayed the 80s southern california rich kid party culture so accurately, and of no other 80s drug move that has made such an impact on me and all my friends everytime we view it or remember it. (i mean, cmon, this was 1987! no requiems just yet!) And if robert downeys eerie turn of events after Julian isnt enough proof of how good an actor he is..this movie just hits very close to home for me on a lot of levels. Do any of you remember this movie at all?HAzy shade of winter....ahhhhhh!!!

 

[Monster_ZERO]

I recall watching it in the 80's.

*runs off to purchase DVD*

 

[Negative]

Great film, great book. My favorite film adaptation of an Easton Ellis novel . . . (those being, for them that don't know, The Rules of Attraction, American Psycho and Less Than Zero)

 

[mariacallas]

ditto negative!!!

 

[Giovi9]

Ellis is Epic

 

[Curious Yellow]

i wanna see this, robert downey jr IS perfect for a role in it.

 

[L O V E L I F E]

"and the amazing actors (jami gertz,andrew mc carthy and robert downey are so wonderfully real here its fascinating to watch them act....)"

(emphasis mine)

Robert Downey, Jr. is amazing in everything.

That said, if you think that Jami Gertz and Andrew McCarthy are "amazing" actors, you're probably on more cocaine than all three of their characters were.

 

[twominds]

It's a great film. Downey Jr. is brilliant in it. Just a question to fellow Bret Eastern Ellis fans, Are 'Less than Zero" and "American Psycho" the only novels by him that have been created into film?

 

[onetwothreefour]

^^^ check out the rules of attraction, too. it's loved/hated by most people, but i think it's quite good

(have a read of the american psycho thread in here, too - it's got a little discussion about the two).

 

[twominds]

^^^Oh yeah I totally forgot about it. I must say I was disappointed with it.

 

[haste]

One of my all time favs

 

[mariacallas]

Robert Downey, Jr. is amazing in everything.

That said, if you think that Jami Gertz and Andrew McCarthy are "amazing" actors, you're probably on more cocaine than all three of their characters were.

hahahhha that made me laugh ! dude, allow me to clarify,. Actually, I only noticed the *fine* acting of both andrew and jami gertz (jesus, what was her other movie, lost boys? thats all ive seen! and andrew mc carthy sucked in pretty in pink..uh thats all i can remember for now..) in this particular movie. I called them amazing simply because i did not expect such understated meaningful acting from LEAST of all, these two. So for me, LESS THAN ZERO was definitely a one hit wonder movie for them both!!!! HAHHAHHA!!!! Oh yeah, Robrt Downey is THE bomb....he's light years away and will always be...one of my fave actors.

 

[mariacallas]

curious yellow, ya havent seen it? oh my god go go go!

 

[Altered_Soul9]

Breakfast club....classic

 

[TheLoveBandit]

I was kinda young when I first saw this, didn't have any exposure to the drug scene and was still defining my understanding of relationships. I will say this movie fucked me up in the head for a long time.

Reason:

NSFW:

My biggest hangup was Robert Downey Jr's character getting to the point of being pimped for blow jobs for his drug habit. It blew my mind someone could reach such low depths (remember I was naive when I saw this). And I'll admit I had a real hangup at that point about a guy giving a guy a blowjob.

Based on this movie, I hated...I mean I absolutely deplored RDJr and anything he was in thereafter, which was a shame, considering the career he's gone on to have from there. I've overcome my hangups from this film, and come to really, really like him now.

The other characters, I could relate to a bit (having fun, trying to look out for their friend), but in hindsight my connection with them only grows stronger having been through some of those experiences myself. Maybe I need to watch the film again, just to regain a perspective of the drug scene and youth of the 80's.

 

[Finder]

This is the peak of RDJ's career?

 

[mariacallas]

wow thanks for the epic bump TLB
Sadly, I lost my dvd of this movie Grrrr.... I think I lent it to somebody who never gave it back, cant remember. Ahhh drug addled days

 

[vibr8tor]

Based on this movie, I hated...I mean I absolutely deplored RDJr and anything he was in thereafter, which was a shame, considering the career he's gone on to have from there.

how did it make you feel about james spader? :D

 

[mariacallas]

Lets see how well the actors have aged.
Andrew Mc Carthy - He looks okay I guess

James Spader -- eeeekkk.....time has not been too kind me thinks

Jami Gertz - not bad ...still pretty

Robert Downey - Now this man has aged like a fine wine. WIN!

 

[TheLoveBandit]

This is the peak of RDJ's career?

Maybe in 2004 when she made that statement?

how did it make you feel about james spader? :D

Honestly, I was fine with that. I knew there were bad people in the world, I just had issue with someone who would compromise their character and who they were for a stupid drug like RDJ did. I knew it was acting, but I had a real hard time 'leaving it on the screen'. Spader....I've liked him in a lot of things, and think he did fairly well at that role (somehow I could leave his role on the screen); he didn't bother me that much.