Dreary, flat story. This sanitized version of Ellis's novel is a cautionary antidrug tale, complete with wooden performances and obvious dialogue. The visual style is occasionally compelling, but this exercise in irritation definitely merits a grade way "less than zero".

They sure made a complete mess of a great book.

This was painful. It's no wonder Ellis hates that this movie is attached to his name forever, not to mention it stays maybe 10% true to the book. McCarthy makes an awful Clay, Jami Gertz with her stupid covered up deep south accent is a terrible choice for Blair, but Downey Jr. does make a decent enough Julian. Overall it's the worst Ellis novel to screen there is. Although this is not to say I would be against a remake...

59.625

Having just read the book, it was hilariously wrong in every single way but an interesting piece of 80s kitsch.

Adapts source material about the hedonistic excesses of nihilistic youth with all the sophistication and subtlety of a "Just Say No" ad. ("Julian is for sale," indeed.)

Misjudges the book's portrayal of adulthood ennui and vacuous directionlessness and places crappy soap-opera drama and (gasp!) a storyline in the mix to supposedly jazz this feature up. But this ends up diluting the apathetic atmosphere that this should have had if it were to be a successful adaptation. On the plus side, the music and Downey Jnr. are good.

Downey Jr. is into hard drugs, man!

Novel is better.

Boring.

Features the overwhelmingly sleazy cinematic techniques of the eighties, with annoyingly proselytistic epiphanies throughout. But these issues are secondary to the amazingly damaged performance of Robert Downey Jr, who perfectly captured the melancholy and self-loathing of someone who desperately wants to change but can't seem to find it within himself. This film frequently overreached, and did a slow dance with cliche, but still managed to consume my attention and make me think.

Bore very little resemblance to the book--which is by and large a good thing, inasmuch as that was a double dose of pure garfunkel, just like you'd expect from the Lit Crowd (and an unfilmable concoction as well). Downey very good. First half better than the second, when it becomes the Chasing the Junkie game and turns into an allaround hugfest. Interesting and hauntingly eerie original music; some weird covers of songs. Excellent early montage, with McCarthy still in his dorm room.

Robert Downey Jr.'s scenes in this movie gives it this score.

Robert Downey Jr. plays himself. Zing!