Bad Influence (1990)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Curtis Hanson

Writer (WGA):

David Koepp (written by)

Release Date:

9 March 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Michael, a wimpy young executive, is about to get pulverized by a jealous boyfriend in a bar when a handsome...

Plot Keywords:

Executive | Psychopath | Finance | Sadomasochism | Cynicism

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Rob Lowe	...	Alex
James Spader	...	Michael Boll
Lisa Zane	...	Claire
Marcia Cross	...	Ruth Fielding
Rosalyn Landor	...	Britt
Tony Maggio	...	Patterson
Palmer Lee Todd	...	Naked Woman
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Leslie
Sunny Smith	...	Waitress
Susan Lee Hoffman	...	Karen, Woman in Bar
Jeff Kaake	...	Willie, Man in Bar
Christian Clemenson	...	Pismo Boll
Charisse Glenn	...	Stylish Eurasian Woman
Jay Della	...	Chez Jay Bartender
Inger Lorre	...	Band Member

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Norway:15 (DVD rating) | Ireland:18 (DVD rating) | Norway:18 (original rating/video rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (cut) | USA:R | West Germany:16 | France:Unrated | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

George C. Page Museum - 5801 W. Wilshire Blvd., Hancock Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Epic Productions

Trivia:

The film garnered a lot of unwarranted PR as it was released roughly around the same time that Rob Lowe's infamous sex tape came to light.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the tar pits as seen from above, we see a yellow or lime-green fire truck (ladder truck). When the camera comes back as the fireman descends it (the ladder), we notice the truck is now red.

Quotes:

Alex: [picking up his knife] Now I'm going to show you

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Happy Birthday Shakespeare (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

ALMOST LIKE HEAVEN

A powerful film and a brave choice for Rob!

I found Rob Lowe's performance in this startling. By turns creepy and charismatic, Alex is at once morally repugnant and compellingly attractive. It is easy to see why James Spader's ineffectual everyman, Michael, falls so completely under his spell.

A powerful film and a brave choice for Rob considering that people were bound to draw real-life parallels with some of the film's motifs (home-made sex videos for one).

Which, for me, is why he had to play the villain of the piece. Reverse the roles, as some posters here have suggested, and Bad Influence turns into nothing more than an apologia with Rob Lowe as the wronged victim - both cinematically and in his personal life (although I do think he may well have been more sinned against than sinning on the personal front). It takes more courage and ultimately shows more integrity on the actor's part that he chose the harder option of the two and went for the unsympathetic role.

Top marks for James Spader too in a fairly weak and unforgiving role.