Rating: 
Summary: Guilty pleasure.
Review: 1990's *Bad Influence* provides the film-fan a chance to see what director Curtis Hanson and screenwriter David Koepp were capable of when they had to actually work for a living. (Later "success" for each has borne bitter fruit -- for the aforesaid film-fan, of course: Hanson now makes Eminem movies; Koepp just scripted *Spider-Man*. Enough said.) Hanson's previous film, *The Bedroom Window*, was mostly a by-the-numbers Hitchcock, albeit brilliant, with SHADES of novelist Patricia Highsmith's nastiness. . . . Here, Hanson & Co. veer directly into Highsmith's dark waters, and the result is just smashing. Of course it goes without saying that James Spader's "meek" corporate analyst is never all that innocent to begin with (just like any "hero" in a Highsmith novel, or in any film noir worth its pinch of salt); the fun is in watching HOW the layers of hypocrisy get stripped away, one by one. Hanson's ironical conceit is to have the movie's villain (Rob Lowe) proudly believe that HE'S the one responsible for the Yuppie's corruption. The movie's really about the tragedy of a psychopath. Lowe's wicked drifter is a pretty lonely guy, after all: he wants a friend! Women are his source of income, and can't be an option in terms of an intimate relationship. He meets the yuppie at a beach bar: Spader finds himself in trouble with a 900-lbs gorilla; Lowe extricates him from the trouble by threatening to cut the gorilla's throat with a jagged bottleneck. Of course, he also helps himself to Spader's unattended wallet . . . but once Spader runs into him the next day, Lowe allows himself to befriend the yuppie. With a sort of proud-father generosity, he initiates Spader into the world of L.A.'s underground bars, designer drugs, and decadent call girls. It eventually degenerates into a spree of cheap thrills that include hold-ups of the local burger joints and liquor stores. Hey -- it's Boys Night Out! What's the use of a life, even a criminal one, without no one to share it with? Unfortunately, All Good Things Must Come To An End: Lowe overreaches, and the blood-brothers become antagonists. After the bitter break-up, Lowe behaves petulantly, appropriating Spader's home furnishings like a divorcee in a bitter lawsuit. It's all great, campy fun, with the added bonus of some real menace -- and generous whiffs of decadence from the deepest pits -- thrown in to keep you riveted. The movie's centerpiece is the videotaped murder of a woman: the tape shows the murder occurring off-camera in Spader's bedroom. Horrified, Spader runs to his bedroom . . . to find the door nailed shut! This may be the only case in a movie of suspense being generated by something that has ALREADY HAPPENED. Ingenious! Final thought: I'd wager that aspiring novelist Chuck Paluhnik (sp?) caught this movie one night on HBO or something years ago and was subsequently inspired to write *Fight Club*, a novel (and, later, movie) whose parasitic-friendship theme is suspiciously similar to what's presented here. Bad influence, indeed.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT...
Review: A movie that keeps you in suspense from it's very beginning deserves to be calle "excellent" Rob Lowe's magnificent performance as a charismatic player is so convincing you may notice at the end that you have not even moved while watching it... James Spader's roll as a decent hard working proffesional who innocently finds himself, suddenly involved in a homicide case, is terrific as well. Love, sex, passion, hate...and even murder are perfectly combined in this movie...Highly reccomended...
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT...
Review: A movie that keeps you in suspense from it's very beginning deserves to be calle "excellent" Rob Lowe's magnificent performance as a charismatic player is so convincing you may notice at the end that you have not even moved while watching it... James Spader's roll as a decent hard working proffesional who innocently finds himself, suddenly involved in a homicide case, is terrific as well. Love, sex, passion, hate...and even murder are perfectly combined in this movie...Highly reccomended...
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie but short features
Review: Check out friends around you, you may end up with a psycho like Alex (played by Rob Lowe). What he does in the movie is quite impressive and psychotic, especially a dirty trick like breaking a tail light and pulling the broken bulb into a fuel tank. If you hit the brake pedal, OOPS! In general, I like the story, I like the casting. Very good performance from both James Spader (as Michael) and Rob Lowe (as Alex). Does Alex do it on purpose to screw up Michael's life? I don't think so. Alex gives Michael what he wants (gals, job promotion), Alex eliminates what Michael's afraid of (getting married). But Michael pisses Alex off and wants him out of his life. Of course Alex rampages, revenges, and takes back everything he gave to Michael. I don't find the movie is too exaggerated; in contrast, I'm convinced that it could happen to anyone of us anytime anywhere. Who knows?About the DVD, it's a double-sided disc. One side is the 16:9 widescreen format, and the other side is the standard 4:3 format. Quite obvious, it is lacking of extra features. It only comes with subtitles and theatrical trailer. Overall, movie is good but features are short.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent movie...Lowe and Spader shine
Review: Hadn't seen the film for some ten years before it arrived on DVD. A decade makes me even more appreciate Spader's work as Michael Boll. His character is a most convincing utter corporate dork who struggles to free himself of his devils then aftwards free himself of his 'savior.' Lowe too is great in his villain's role also though his character is perhaps overly cute/pretty at times - yet convincingly threatening when required. Good to see Christian Clemenson in *any* capacity. Oh, Lisa Zane: suits please note she needs more time before a camera! (Notice how the couples who stumble into the plot - the pier bar, the garage - are screaming about their relationships?) Enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Led astray
Review: Hadn't seen the film for some ten years before it arrived on DVD. A decade makes me even more appreciate Spader's work as Michael Boll. His character is a most convincing utter corporate dork who struggles to free himself of his devils then aftwards free himself of his 'savior.' Lowe too is great in his villain's role also though his character is perhaps overly cute/pretty at times - yet convincingly threatening when required. Good to see Christian Clemenson in *any* capacity. Oh, Lisa Zane: suits please note she needs more time before a camera! (Notice how the couples who stumble into the plot - the pier bar, the garage - are screaming about their relationships?) Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: This movie is the (...)
Review: I don't want to tell too much and give the movie away, but Rob Lowe looks really good and this movie. I like it when well-known actors play transitional roles, and I like Lowe playing the role of the bad guy. This movie is comparable to a Hitchcock thriller and it goes deep into the themes of manipulation and fear.
Rating:
Summary: Bad ending
Review: I found BAD INFLUENCE worthwhile for the performances of James Spader and Rob Lowe, despite the film's hokey ending. Too bad it concludes with a thud, as the two actors complement each other well in what starts out as a pretty good How-do-I-get-rid-of-this-guy thriller. See BAD INFLUENCE. Maybe its conclusion won't disappoint you as much.
Rating:
Summary: Very Good except the soundtrack
Review: I love this film of the nerdy office worker getting influenced by an outsider and stuffing his life up in the process. It's well shot, well edited, fast-paced, but the soundtrack sounds very dated nowadays, which is why it only gets a 4/5. Get it if you want to see Rob Lowe doing some seriously good acting at a time when he was dismissed by the press as nothing more than just a pretty face. Good, scary fun.
Rating:
Summary: surprisingly good
Review: I was never a fan of Rob Lowe, but I can tell you, he is very convincing as a bad guy. James Spader also plays an excellent part. The movie has a great storyline and good actors, what more should you expect?
Even though this movie never got the credit it deserved and many people have never even heard of it, it is a "must see". I can't wait till it comes out on DVD!
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