The Informers: Bret Easton Ellis Trashes 80's L.A

Posted by mr grits on April 25, 2010 at 23:04:47

BEE gave us the "hip, upwardly mobile" world of 80's Manhattan in American Psycho. A movie that showed money and status were king in the Big Apple through the eyes Christian Bale. Now, BEE has turned his focus on Los Angles in 1983. The atmosphere is different, lazier, druggier, sexier, sleazier, and certainly more self involvier.

We see a large, big name, ensemble play out their lives in this X-rated soap opera that is totally damning of the time and the culture. Billy Bob (studio head) is married to Bassinger but boinking Winona Ryder while trying to reconcile his marriage to avoid 50% damage in a California divorce. Never mind that Bassinger is paying a male prostitute, Martin, who is her son's best friend. Her son, Jon Foster, is a typical wealthy youth with no ideas about real life and opts to sell drugs to his friends and celebrities. His girl friend, Amber Heard, is hot and loose. Maybe too loose as she's boinking Jon AND Martin but it so happens Jon and Martin are banging also! In addition, group sex seems to be a norm in this crowd. This is getting confusing. One of Jon's posse members, Tim Price, feels the phoniness of the culture and is forced to endure a week in Hawaii with his super wealthy, drunken dad, Chris Issak, who thinks his son might be gay.

Down the social ladder is a hotel clerk, Brad Renfroe, who tries to avoid his uncle, Mickey Rourke, as uncle is always a load of trouble. This time Mickey arrives for a "few days" and instead of the customary heist this time he puts Renfroe in the middle of a kidnapping scam.

Finally, the movie takes its name from a Brit rock group: The Informers. The lead singer, Bryan Metro, is so drugged and over-the-hill he hardly knows what country he's in. His story leads to mild debauchery with underage teens that includes a hollywood studio exec's daughter while having dinner at the exec's house.

The story is compelling and Ellis' dialog wry and biting. Beautifully photographed with lots of eye candy. Ironically, mostly filmed in Argentina and Uruguay since it was much cheaper than L.A.

This movie is such a trashy pleasure I ordered a copy. Great soundtrack, too.

It's a great way to waste some time.

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Topic - The Informers: Bret Easton Ellis Trashes 80's L.A - mr grits 23:04:47 04/25/10 (0)

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