Less Than Zero (1987)

Director:

Marek Kanievska

Writers:

Bret Easton Ellis (novel)
Harley Peyton (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 November 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

It only looks like the good life.

Plot:

A college freshman returns to L.A. for the holidays at his ex-girlfriend's request, but discovers that his former best friend has an out-of-control drug habit.

Plot Keywords:

Bisexual | Vomit Scene | Teenager | Homecoming | Stylized

Cast

Andrew McCarthy	...	Clay Easton
Jami Gertz	...	Blair
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Julian Wells
James Spader	...	Rip
Tony Bill	...	Bradford Easton
Nicholas Pryor	...	Benjamin Wells
Donna Mitchell	...	Elaine Easton
Michael Bowen	...	Bill
Sarah Buxton	...	Markie
Lisanne Falk	...	Patti
Michael Greene	...	Robert Wells
Neith Hunter	...	Alana
Afton Smith	...	Kim
Brian Wimmer	...	Trent
Kelly Wolf	...	Lile

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Belgium:16 (video rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:18A | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills High School - 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Amercent Films

Trivia:

Brad Pitt was paid $38 for his uncredited appearance.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As Clay and Blair are walking through the tunnel arguing, just before they stop walking, Clay's eyes clearly shift ahead of them several times to check his mark (the point where he stops and stands in place).

Quotes:

Rip: Well, don't slack off, man. Don't be a bum.
Clay: Like you?
Rip: Just like me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the '80s Strikes Back" (2003)

Soundtrack:

HOW TO LOVE AGAIN

A complete disaster...

"Less Than Zero" was one of my favorite novels of all time, combining a "Catcher in the Rye" for the excessive L.A. in the '80's sorta mentality. Unfortunately this film was in production during the very height of the "just say no to drugs" Nancy Reagan campaign. I remember reading in the L.A. Times how the producers were stating that they changed the character Clay to an avid anti-drug crusading hero instead of the bisexual, morally confused coked-out protagonist Ellis' novel made him out to be.

What a waste. This movie is ridiculous, containing absolutely none of the ambience of the novel. Instead we get stupid visuals (a party with 20 TVs all stacked up on one another, an idiotic fight at a party in Palm Springs with beautiful coked-out people looking on), that lend little to promote the plot. Essential characters from the novel (like Trent) that could have helped explain the relationships are missing. It's almost as if the screenwriters intentionally tried to make this movie as illogical as possible.

I met Ellis' sister once. She told me that Bret was so embarrassed by what they did to his film that he refused to go to the premiere. Can anyone blame him?