Less Than Zero

Wikipedia sources say: Less Than Zero is a 1987 film based on the novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis. The film stars: Robert Downey Jr., James Spader, Jami Gertz, and Andrew McCarthy.

The film has gotten mixed reviews from critics and public alike since it premiered in 1987 (premiered in November of 1987: holiday season film). Robert Downey Jr. plays the "junkie" Julian; a young man who is addicted to cocaine. This film has increased in popularity in the recent decade or so as Downey's drug problems have come to surface; Downey has been in trouble with the law for possession of drugs, and has even served time in prison. The film has become sort of a "déjà vu" for Downey.

The plot is about a young man Clay (played by McCarthy) who comes home from college for the Christmas holidays only to find his best friends Julian and Blair (Downey and Gertz) have become cokeheads. To add insult to injury: Julian is now $50,000 (this was a lot of money back in the 80's) in debt as a result of his cocaine addiction. Rip (the pusher played by Spader) is on Julian like "white on rice" for the astronomical money Julian owes him.

Blair (who is Clay's ex-girlfriend) rekindles her romance with Clay. Clay himself loves Julian, and doesn't want Julian to get hurt or injured by Rip's bodyguard who rips into Julian a few times almost killing him; since Julian is an addict, he's always borrowing money from Rip who in turn asks Julian to perform sexual acts on both men and women...at the end, a return trip from Palm Springs, CA shows Julian sleeping in Clay's car; Clay and Blair realize Julian is not sleeping but is in fact dead from an overdose.

Since Downey has spent a considerable amount of time in Palm Springs, CA; this could have only attributed to the film's "cult" status amongst some people whom have claim this movie to have been a "déjà vu" for Downey.

The acting of this film is not bad. Most of the actors do a better than average job; Spader does an excellent job as the bully pusher.

The film can be purchased at: amazon.com, getdvdprices.com, eBay.com, hotmoviesale.com, half.com.