Less Than Zero

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Less Than Zero

R,

1987,

1h 37m,

Drama

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Watchlist

Watchlist

54%

28 Reviews

Tomatometer

63%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

54%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Clay comes home to Los Angeles after his first semester of college and encounters some disturbing developments. His former lover, burgeoning model Blair, has begun to abuse cocaine. But her addiction pales in comparison to the drug dependency of her new boyfriend, Julian, who's also Clay's childhood buddy. Clay tries to help them get sober, but the process is complicated by Rip, a callous dealer Julian is indebted to.

Critics Consensus

A couple of standout performances -- notably Robert Downey, Jr. and James Spader -- and a killer soundtrack can't quite elevate a somewhat superficial adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' story of drugged-out LA rich kids.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Feb 27, 2008

Ed Lachman's cinematography is letter perfect as always in its handling of light and color (assisted here by Barbara Ling's flashy production design), but it's a pity to see it wasted on such claptrap.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Feb 27, 2008

Perhaps this wasn't the best subject matter for British director Marek Kanievska (Another Country) to make his American debut. The feel for this distinctly Southern California story escapes him.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 1, 2000

4/4

A movie that knows cocaine inside out and paints a portrait of drug addiction that is all the more harrowing because it takes place in the Beverly Hills fast lane, in a world of wealth, sex, glamour and helpless self-destruction.

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Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 14, 2026

3/4

The film "Less Than Zero" actually makes you care a bit about its three central characters.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Aug 16, 2024

C

A shallow film.

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Jul 6, 2022

Since the best seller could not be filmed, they opted, skillfully, not to film it. This film is something else entirely. [Full review in Spanish]

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Feb 1, 2019

The best movie song ever sung: A Hazy Shade of Winter!

Luke M

Nov 19, 2018

Ending made me sad. Great depiction of addiction

Ron M

Nov 10, 2018

Downey's acting is flawless, a real standout

Kylo W

Dec 28, 2017

I am rather obsessed with the title Less than Zero. I can't seem to figure out exactly what it signifies. I know that the title of the 1987 movie comes from the title of Elvis Costello's debut single of the same title but neither the movie or the book by Bret Easton Ellis has anything to do with the song. The song isn't even included in the movie or on its bestselling soundtrack record. Costello gives few contextual clues as to what he means when he says Less than Zero and thus the title remains mysterious and elusive. It exists in the realm of sounding 'cool.' https://geeks.media/classic-movie-review-less-than-zero?_ga=2.55437803.1126457623.1513947710-953607229.1513947710

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Han S

Dec 24, 2017

Less Than Zero holds up much better than expected. It's not preachy thankfully.

Luke S

Oct 27, 2017

A good film in its own right but has nothing on the film.

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Marek Kanievska

Director

Andrew McCarthy

Clay Easton

Jami Gertz

Blair

Robert Downey Jr.

Julian Wells

James Spader

Rip

Michael Bowen

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Synopsis

Clay comes home to Los Angeles after his first semester of college and encounters some disturbing developments. His former lover, burgeoning model Blair, has begun to abuse cocaine. But her addiction pales in comparison to the drug dependency of her new boyfriend, Julian, who's also Clay's childhood buddy. Clay tries to help them get sober, but the process is complicated by Rip, a callous dealer Julian is indebted to.

Director: Marek Kanievska
Producer: Jon Avnet, Jordan Kerner, Marvin Worth
Screenwriter: Harley Peyton
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 1987, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $10.8M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround

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