Bad Influence

James Spader is typically engaging in the role of Michael, a wimpy yuppie who tends to not stand up for himself. He is about to get obliterated by a jealous boyfriend in a bar, when a stranger (Rob Lowe) steps in to save his ass. He ends up running into Lowe again, and thanks him, and a curious relationship develops. "Alex" (Lowe) introduces the element of risk into Michaels' life, and helps him "grow a pair", so to speak. But Michael soon learns that only dark things will come out of this supposed "friendship", and he realizes that he must eliminate Alex from his life.

"Bad Influence" is a decent thriller set in hip, "modern era" California, with various clubs and parties used as backdrops. Well shot by Robert Elswit, it boasts a screenplay by then relatively fresh screenwriter David Koepp. It may not be on the level of "Strangers on a Train", but it entertains in compelling enough fashion. The give and take between our hero and his nemesis creates sufficient tension, as Alex sets about trying to prove that he was merely exposing the hidden ugly side that Michael wasn't showing the world. As this plays out, you can't help but sympathize with Michael to some degree, as the story turns into this kind of nightmare that seems to have no end in sight. There are some sexy ladies in the cast, and a little dose of gore, so this thriller does deliver in terms of some sex and violence. Director Curtis Hanson, who at this time hadn't yet achieved mainstream recognition, guides it all in style.

Lowe is decent as the shady antagonist with the undetermined motives. He seems to be just plain evil. Spader outshines him, of course, and receives strong support from a cast including Lisa Zane, Kathleen Wilhoite, Marcia Cross, Tony Maggio, Grand L. Bush, and John de Lancie. Keep your eyes peeled for David Duchovny, who appears fleetingly in a club scene. Christian Clemenson delivers a standout performance as Michaels' slightly pathetic brother who tries to redeem himself in his siblings' eyes.

Solid entertainment that picks up considerably in its second half.

Seven out of 10.

To me this movie was about a lifestyle. The music in this movie was very underground and featured Skinny Puppy tracks ('Who's Laughing Now?')along with a host of other interesting songs. The main dance-floor scene was very well done and gave a glimpse into the underworld of recreation drugs. Rob Lowe and James Spader delivered convincing roles and were a perfect fit for this cult classic. I'm still looking for the song featured on this movie with the lyrics "I wanna take you down"... It was cool. The movie was cool. Guess you have to appreciate the music at one point in your life to appreciate this type of movie...

regards...

Rob Lowe stars as a drifter who takes yuppie James Spader under his wing and starts to turn Spader's life inside out. The acting is pretty good, but the writting and the direction will knock you out. Clever, and very stylish plus it is filled with exciting moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. One of my favorite films of all time. Rating: 9.5 / 10

I enjoyed this movie very much, which is why it got seven stars from me, but it's by no means a fantastic or transcendent experience. It does it's job as a thriller ably, and it's worth watching.

The good: You do care about the characters, and James Spader and Rob Lowe are both fantastic actors who are on the top of their game here. It's interesting to see Spader play a guy who isn't super cool and self assured for a change, and he handles it well. Lowe channels a bit of Patrick Bateman and creates a great GQ sociopath. The supporting cast is quite good as well, however this could very well have been a two-man film, as you can fit the dialog of all the other characters in the movie combined onto maybe two sheets of paper. The director also had a great eye for style, as the locations, clothing and music were gorgeous and perfectly suited to the era, and gave the film a great deal of authenticity.

The bad: I'm not entirely convinced why Spader was so quick to discard his fiancé (who was beautiful, rich and from all indications a very nice person that cared for him a great deal). The film never really sets up any kind of conflict or apprehension between the couple to justify Spader's truly rash behavior. Yes, I get that he wanted a taste of the bad-boy life that Lowe was a part of, but he seemed to throw it all away far too easily and willingly. For the type of character that he was, I'd expect a little more internal conflict, moralizing and apprehension to go along with a decision like that. It just seems like his descent was inexplicably rapid and left a lot of questions unanswered. Beyond that, I think the ending (or last 30 minutes or so) could have been done a little better.

The good does really outweigh the bad, and the movie is genuinely worth watching if you're a fan of the genre. Don't expect a Michael Mann film, but you can definitely get some solid entertainment value out of it nonetheless.

Some people have got that influential touch that can bring any one out of their comfort zone. There are risk takers and those you play it safe. It's matter of personal choice. The clinically dark yuppie thriller 'Bad Influence' takes on a psychological power play between an enigmatically bold drifter (a tremendously venomous Rob Lowe) and a pinned-down marketing analyst (suitably acted by James Spader). Watch how the relationship grows and slowly treads dangerous ground, as the dream of being confident and striving to overcome one's fears is manipulated into a tormented nightmare of aggression and punishment for simple, ungraspable fulfilment for one's own gain. It's a game on someone's life and Lowe's icy portrayal of the controlling puppeteer works effectively. Sure the fundamental storyline isn't anything new (an old formula ala noir going contemporary) and some plot avenues seem a little too glossed over and hard to fathom, but Curtis Hanson's daringly sharp and tight direction cements intense empowerment and morbid curiosity in certain visual suspense. Using an almost voyeuristic approach he draws upon unearthing the violence, drug habit and sleaze trying to hide behind a materialistic obsessive society. Fascinatingly slick and stylish, and the cruise-like pace moves along well enough. The soundtrack has that steamy, on edge kick that doesn't show its age. Also for one in this time period, it's strangely underplayed and kept in the background. The support cast play trumps to Lowe and Spader, but Lisa Zane titillates in her all too short of a role. Fashionably entertaining psycho-thriller.