Bad Influence

Rating:
Summary: Don't easy to believe your unknown friend!
Review: James Spader as Michael Boll a young, successful marketing analyst engaged to the perfect brunette and climbing the corporate ladder,befriends a handsome drifter,Rob Lowe,who plays life by no rules. Soon the friendship is out of control and the young exec realizes that his dream life is becoming a nightmare.A stranger saves meek, stockbroker Michael Boll from a violent bar-room brawl and later befriends him. Before long, the new friend starts influencing aspects of the young man's professional and personal life, eventually leading him ever closer to a dark world of theft, voyeurism and murder. By the time Michael understands the true depth of this sadistic stranger's depravity,his fantasy has turned fatal -- and it may be too late to escape. Rob Lowe plays absolutely well acting as a cool- bad attitude friends and James Spader runs by acting the perfect rules,unjustified life. NEVER TOO YOUNG TO DIE!

Rating:
Summary: How "LOWE" Can One Go?
Review: James Spader finds out, as his "Michael Boll" meets a unexpectedly dangerous stranger, played by a convincingly sinister Rob Lowe, in this Curtis Hanson outing. ............ Michael is a young, handsome 9-5 sort of guy. His life is dominated by his fiance, played by Marcia Cross. He is also being backstabbed by a co-worker named Patterson, who Michael is too meek to stop. He is also saddled with a deadbeat brother who mocks his "Yuppie" lifestyle, while reaping the financial benefits. Life changes as Michael goes from meek, to "Mick" after tutelage from a mysterious stranger that saves him from a decking in a bar, enter Rob Lowe in his finest role to date. Spader's Michael is impressed by Lowe from the start. A friendship forms as Lowe takes an interest in Michael, introducing him to underground clubs, loose women, drugs, drink, and general depravity. He seems at first to be fun, and a breath of fresh air from the oppression he's been living under. As time goes on though, the picture gets more complicated. Lowe slowly reveals himself to be twisted and dangerous. Unfortunately for "Mick", (as Lowe re-names his protege), he is in way over his head, and may not be able to escape Lowe's inexplicably sadistic, increasing wrath toward him. ................ Spader and Lowe give wonderful performances here. I make a point of seeing ALL films with Spader, because he is one of my favorite actors. He plays the hapless victim here so soft and sympathetically, until he takes action, as Lowe has mentored him to do. Lowe creates a terrific noir mood with his character. His menacing escalates to a feverish pitch, and this will keep you on the edge of your seat waiting for the outcome. ............. Speaking of the outcome, it's a bit too convoluted, and probably the only flaw in the film. Michael's paranoid pothead brother, "Pismo" as in beach, or "Gizmo" as in "Gremlins" (I'm not sure), helps Michael in his quest to put an end to Lowes cruel games. The dude can't abandon his bong long enough to get a job, and he's too paranoid to leave the house, yet he's a darn good sidekick in the fight against evil, PLEASE!! Still, "Bad Influence" is one great suspense thriller that will keep your interest from start to finish. Don't miss this exciting entry in the extensive filmographies of Spader and Lowe.

Rating:
Summary: Under The Influence
Review: On the surface, Bad Influence can easily be dismissed as a throwaway thriller, but underneath it all, it's better than most folks give it credit for. The film has a lot of talent, both in front of, and behind the scences that help elevate it to be better than it should be.

Financial analyst Michael Boll (James Spader) seems to have everything a man could want in life. He's smart, has a good job with a high paying salary, a socially connected fiancée and an bright future. Then he meets Alex (Rob Lowe), an impeccably dressed drifter with fatal charm and an insatiable appetite for wine, women and danger. Alex befriends Michael after saving his life and takes him for a walk on the wild side - but Michael soon discovers that there's a high price to pay for life in the fast lane. Soon his life spirals out of control--leading to a tense climax.

Director Curtis Hanson, the man behind L.A. Confidential, put together a solid film. When the film was made, Lowe was in need of a comeback, after some bad publicty made him risky in Hollywood. He was up to the task. Writer David Koepp (Spider-Man, Jurassic Park) gave him a great bad guy to play. Lowe and Spader play well off each other. Spader, who was the sole reason to watch TV's The Practice, during its last season, paints a sympathetic portrait of Michael. That's interesting to see now given how smarmy his TV character can be. Eagle eyed viewers should watch for David Duchovny (The X-Files) and John De Lancie (Star Trek's "Q") in small roles. The movie has plenty of tension that draws you in and the performances keep you interested.

The DVD's only extra is the theatrical trailer. I would have liked to see more bonus material on the disc. Viewers can watch the film in either the anamorphic widescreen or full frame formats.

Bad Influence is a recommended thriller

Rating:
Summary: A forgotten cult movie !
Review: Since the Faustian roots have had some most significant relevance than this one , nevertheless this film gets what it proposes . The translation of paradigms leads to this modern evil messenger - Rob Lowe - in a very credible role , to claim his part of the agreement gentlemen signed with a yuppie James Spader .
The brutal sequences and the demoniac revenge is not for squeamish sensibilities . This film plays hard and you know the plot . We are not in a happy land .
Notable performances for the entire cast . Curtis Hanson announced the world his unstoppable raising and promising career to most ambitious projects .



Rating:
Summary: Bad Influence
Review: This is an excellent movie. It didn't get much publicity but it is definitely one of Rob Lowe's best. James Spader played an excellent part as well, it was nice to see him in the role of a "nice guy" because just about every movie he's in he plays the role of a real jerk. I would highly recommend this movie!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent movie...Lowe and Spader shine
Review: Very different and dark movie, not what we are used to with Rob Lowe, but he doesn't disappoint. Lowe is outstanding and proves he is much more than a just a great looking actor. James Spader is very good and works well with Rob. This movie never got it's just due, should have been a blockbuster, very under-rated. Check it out!!

Rating:
Summary: By Michael Boll
Review: Well my name IS michael boll, and I have never seen this movie, but Rob Lowe is cool, and if I ever make a movie about my life, it will star Rob Lowe.

Rating:
Summary: Silly fun
Review: Would you buy. . .Rob Lowe as the devil's assistant? Maybe even Old Horny himself? Neither would I, but you shouldn't let that divert you from seeing this movie. It's funny! Certainly not intentionally so, but does that matter? Story line goes: James Spader is suppressed, unhappy financial analyst, engaged to marry a woman he doesn't love, whose life is spent accruing money and buying possessions he doesn't want or need. Rob Lowe appears and saves him in a bar fight; the two eventually strike up a friendship, which includes Lowe introducing him to some free-spirited, Eurotrash type girl and breaking up his engagement in the most disgustingly ill-mannered way possible. Of course, Rob Lowe being the Devil, you can be sure the activities he leads Spader into will eventually be illegal, and soon enough they're (oh, God, this is so difficult to write about). . .yes, sticking up burger joints and liquor stores. Spader, of course, winds up in over his head and realizes just how wicked Lowe really is. Will he be able to get rid of Lowe and get his life back on track? Will he able to stay employed in his fast-track job when they learn about his unsavory nocturnal activities? Do you have to ask? These two seem to have disappeared from major Hollywood movies after this. Coincidence?