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IMDbPro

Less Than Zero

  • 1987
  • R
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
23K
YOUR RATING
Robert Downey Jr., Jami Gertz, and Andrew McCarthy in Less Than Zero (1987)
Trailer
Play trailer1:31
1 Video
87 Photos
CrimeDrama

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.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.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.

  • Director
    • Marek Kanievska
  • Writers
    • Bret Easton Ellis
    • Harley Peyton
  • Stars
    • Andrew McCarthy
    • Jami Gertz
    • Robert Downey Jr.
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    23K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Marek Kanievska
    • Writers
      • Bret Easton Ellis
      • Harley Peyton
    • Stars
      • Andrew McCarthy
      • Jami Gertz
      • Robert Downey Jr.
    • 193User reviews
    • 47Critic reviews
    • 48Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Less Than Zero
    Trailer 1:31
    Less Than Zero

    Photos87

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    Top cast41

    Edit
    Andrew McCarthy
    Andrew McCarthy
    • Clay
    Jami Gertz
    Jami Gertz
    • Blair
    Robert Downey Jr.
    Robert Downey Jr.
    • Julian
    James Spader
    James Spader
    • Rip
    Tony Bill
    Tony Bill
    • Bradford Easton
    Nicholas Pryor
    Nicholas Pryor
    • Benjamin Wells
    Donna Mitchell
    Donna Mitchell
    • Elaine Easton
    Michael Bowen
    Michael Bowen
    • Hop
    Sarah Buxton
    Sarah Buxton
    • Markie
    Lisanne Falk
    Lisanne Falk
    • Patti
    Michael Greene
    Michael Greene
    • Robert Wells
    Neith Hunter
    Neith Hunter
    • Alana
    Afton Smith
    Afton Smith
    • Kim
    Brian Wimmer
    Brian Wimmer
    • Trent
    Kelly Wolf
    Kelly Wolf
    • Lile
    David Colby
    • Kid #3
    Anthony Kiedis
    Anthony Kiedis
    • Musician #3
    • (as Cole Dammett)
    Flea
    Flea
    • Musician #1
    • Director
      • Marek Kanievska
    • Writers
      • Bret Easton Ellis
      • Harley Peyton
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Robert Downey Jr. plays a drug addict in the film. This proved prophetic, as he suffered drug and alcohol addiction in later life. He recalled: "Until that movie, I took my drugs after work and on the weekends. That changed on Less Than Zero (1987), the role was like the ghost of Christmas future. The character was an exaggeration of myself. Then things changed and, in some ways, I became an exaggeration of the character."
    • Goofs
      When Julian uses a credit card to open the sliding glass door at his parents' home it's obvious that there is no latch or lock where he inserted the card when the door opens.
    • Quotes

      Clay: You OK?

      Blair: It's the cocaine... too much speed or something.

      Clay: That's a relief.

      Blair: What?

      Clay: Well, you're fucked up, you look like shit, but hey no problem, all you need is a better cut of cocaine.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Bangles: A Hazy Shade of Winter (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      A Hazy Shade of Winter
      Performed by The Bangles

      Written by Paul Simon

      Courtesy of Columbia Records

    User reviews193

    Featured review
    6/10

    The books is, especially in this case, way better than the movie

    They tried to make Less than zero into a movie, but they had to censor some parts, probably too hard for the movie. But the success of the novel was the traumatizing things that happened to Clay and his friends, and if you censorship that in order to make a 'watchable' movie, you are going to fail.

    Let's remember that in the novel there are the rape of a twelve year old, a pimp injecting heroin into Julian's arm, and a dead boy of an overdose in an alley. You lose all that in the movie by censuring it. And I'm not defending the horrible things that happened in the book, I'm just saying that Less than zero was kinda of a morbid reading.

    Another thing they ignored (and it couldn't be because of censorship) was the ad that said 'DISSAPPEAR HERE', that constantly followed Clay through the city.
    • josedamseaux
    • May 30, 2015
    • Permalink

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    FAQ18

    • How long is Less Than Zero?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 6, 1987 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Corrupción en Beverly Hills
    • Filming locations
      • Mount St. Mary's College - 12001 Chalon Road, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA(high school)
    • Production companies
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • Amercent Films
      • American Entertainment Partners L.P.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $12,396,383
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,008,987
      • Nov 8, 1987
    • Gross worldwide
      • $12,396,383
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    Robert Downey Jr., Jami Gertz, and Andrew McCarthy in Less Than Zero (1987)
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