has on the lives of families friends, and love ones. For this reason as a baby boomer who lived through that era. I find the movie disturbing for its sheer view into the reality of lifestyle crashing into reality. I always try not to watch this movie. Sadly, I'm drawn into it like a moth to a flame. I think its a "scared straight" movie for the rich; or really any one that thinks that drugs are cool, glamorous, and harmless. From a directing, and acting standpoint its excellent. Marek Kaniveska did an excellent job setting the scene and style of Los Angeles high-life. Cars, money and clothes was what it was all about. Within that vein Kaniveska has put that portion of L.A. 80's lifestyle in the history books in this writers opinion Its really too bad the main characters are not as exposed as they once were in the industry. I think that anyone that sees this movie will enjoy it.

credits.Fabulous soundtrack and even better acting. Jami Gertz is Brilliant. I would highly recommend this movie.

time or even now who could portray the complexity of the character,Julian Wells, justice. The movie also includes Andrew Mccarthy, Jamie Gertz and James Spader, but clearly after watching Less than Zero all your left thinking about is Robert's performance. Don't get me wrong it was a perefectly casted cast as you know Andrew being the preppy college student and Jamie being the model/girlfriend and Spader being the villian/drug dealer but all you can think about is Julian and how everything in his life, no matter how hard he tried, just kept falling apart which therefore left him with no choice but to result to drugs. Even the director who hasn't directed many films is phenominal he gives a visonary to the audience the is just exceptional. And even the music in this movie is just great your left feeling the emotions as you listen to the music and I just find that completely rare now a days. As you can see i really do hold high regard to this movie and I actually do believe that if you took the time to watch it you would learn something from it and can apply it to your own life. And if there are any Robert Downey Jr., fans out there this movie would make you like Robert far beyond his irrestiable, amazing, gorgeous looks but it would make you look even further beyond that and have you respect him even more as an actor and as human-being, and even if you are not a huge Robert Downey Jr., fan this movie will convert you into one as soon as the credits start to roll. Again this is an Amazing movie both visually and physically performance by Robert Downey Jr., so if your looking for a great movie to really leave you with something to think about rather, apply to your own life than this movie is for you and I can say this because I too have learned alot from it and I thank Robert from the bottom of my heart for making it!

to have ten lines in your comments but I am writing thi sending to accomplish that goal. Enjoy.

put him $50,000 in debt with his vicious Coke Dealer, Rip Spader .So what can I say? The film looks terrific. The Cinematography by Edward Lachman is amazing, and it is also highlighted by Thomas Newman's haunting score. The performances are great, particularly Robert Downey Jr as Julian Who I think plays the part pretty accurately as his counterpart from the book , and although Andrew McCarthy and Jami Gertz get a lot of bashing for their performances, I think they're both quite effective. And Also worth noting is James Spader as Rip, who seems almost like an even slimier version of "Stef" from "Pretty in Pink".Although it has its critics and it isn't an adaptation of the book, I personally love this movie and think that it deserves more credit than it gets.

McCarthy's girl until he left for college, her ending up in bed with Downey. She beckons him to return because Downey owes drug/smut dealer James Spader a more lavish version and is doomed unless he gets help--question is can Downey make it out of his current state? Better yet, how can McCarthy rescue him when Gertz herself is often high on coke? McCarthy and Gertz do rekindle their relationship, sexually and otherwise, while attempting to save their pal from Spader's grip. Downey exhausts all methods for getting out of $50,000 that belongs to Spader, a lot of dope the young man has went through over the course of 6 months, and, to be honest, his dealer has been cooperative regarding lack of payment. So Spader wants Downey to hook for him, agreeing to substitute the work for his drug debt. So the viewer is treated to an unflattering look at life of the affluent youth when they are out at night. Downey's downfall is all too credible and harrowing, his fate unfortunate, suffering through one of those excruciating experiences where he must "get clean", absolutely overcome with "the sickness". Downey was forbidden by his fed-up father to come home, finding himself sleeping on park benches. Watching him deteriorate, helpless as his own two friends, we are treated to his decline. With lush cinematography to compliment the beautiful people who populate the LA scene, masking the real ugliness of it all. "Rusty pipes" says it all. Film is loaded with a number of great rock and pop songs.

"Pretty in Pink & St. Elmo's Fire ! Overall, I think that this movie started fans to really look at these fine actors as serious player's in the 1990's. I highly recommend having this in your collection !

surrounded with razor blades and straws. It looked like someone had dumped a box of baking soda on the table.Having just watched this movie again for the first time in 20 years, I can objectively assess this as being an amazingly precise snapshot of the times. The only aspect of the film that could have been a bit more fun style-wise is the music. Yet, it might have been a bit too brat packish if it turned into a pop soundtrack movie like "Sixteen Candles" or "Breakfast Club" or "Weird Science", etc. This story was not all about goofiness and teen angst. It was more adult and there really were a lot of people who got into trouble with coke and crystal in those days. They were easy to spot when you stood back. I also found it easy to stop myself from going too far by maintaining high awareness of my own situation. People into the fitness craze like me found it easier to resist going overboard because we always had our gym thing which required a clear head to keep it up. That whole scene really was mostly weekend partiers.I enjoyed watching this movie and going back in time. The film has its continuity flaws but I just couldn't see them. I was seeing too many memories to notice. I remember a Spring Break in Palm Springs where I ran into Arnold Schwartzenager at a Robinson's Dept. Store on Palm Canyon Drive. I was trying on a pair of shorts in a men's department dressing room and when I stepped out of the stall to look in the mirror Arnold stepped out of the stall next to mine wearing the exact same shorts as me. He looked me up and down and grinned at me and said, "Dey look betta on you den day look on me." We both started laughing. I bought the shorts. Those were the days.

University, Julian tries to fund a record project, and Blair gets into modelling. After a year apart, things have changed. Clay comes home at Blairs request due to her concerns about Julian after his record project falls apart, he gets into debt, and heavily involved in drugs. The remainder of the film explores the struggles between the three friends being reunited and seeing how each one has changed. Whilst Andrew McCarthy and Jami Gertz give very poor acting, very little emotion, it is Robert Downey Jr and James Spader Who plays Rip who steal the show and make the film worth while. The film has a very rustic 80's feel to it along with a fantastic soundtrack in-fitting with the films story. The film is supposed to based on the book Less Than Zero by Brett Easton, but is only very loosely based. If you are a fan of the book i'd watch it with caution. Other than that, i'd recommend you all watch it just to see RDJ's captivating performance. Go on, give it a try!