Author Bret Easton Ellis has written several books, some of his best have been turned into screenplays, American Psycho was one of the best, Less Than Zero held it's own, so it's a shame that "The Informers" falls flat right out the gate. The movies main flaw is it tries to hard, we get so many characters that we don't know who we are supposed to like. The problem with that is not one of the characters invoke any empathy, sympathy, pity, or any other emotion that makes them standout. The movie is an exploration of multiple lives and lifestyles during the early '80s, from the top down to the rotten core.
At the top are William (Billy Bob Thornton) who is a powerful movie producer, unfaithful to his equally adulterous wife Laura (Kim Basinger). William has been sleeping with a television newscaster. Cheryl (Winona Ryder) has moved on, she wants no part of William or his lies. William's son Graham (Jon Foster) endlessly parties with his girlfriend Christie (Amber Heard) and their mutual friend Martin (Austin Nichols), these parties are in and out of the bed. Graham is the first to realize that he wants something more out of life. Why is it always the rich and powerful who think they have nothing?
In the center is the lead singer of popular rock band The Informers, Bryan Metro (Mel Raido) whose constant indulgence in mind-shattering decadency has all but eradicated his sense of morality. Tim (Lou Taylor Pucci) attempts to connect with his estranged father Les (Chris Isaak) while they share time together in Hawaii. Again it seems like this young man has such a hard life dealing with things he can't bring himself to care about. Near the rotten core is a hotel doorman, Jack (Brad Renfro) who must cope with a surprise visit from dangerous criminal who may or may not be related, Peter (Mickey Rourke) is on the run from some bad people.
These and many others share a life style that is depraved, Martin is in and out of every ones bed including the ex wife of Bryan Metro. Nina Metro (Simone Kessell) is in a sort of self imposed exile from her ex husband. Martin sleeps with multiple partners, and shares the horrors of what this brings. The movie's theme is that indulgence in drugs, alcohol, sex and leisure can lead to a path of self-destructive horror. And for the wayward characters presented in the film that partake in an orgy of decadence, there is no hope for redemption or purification.
The movie's biggest fault is in it's failing to present any comic relief or bright moments amongst the desperate criminals, unprotected lovers and uncontrollable rock stars. What The Informers does have are random acts of debauchery, a total lack of supervision, and unexplainable violence. Not that this is a bad thing, usually it would come wrapped in a better story, here we have me, mine and what I want. The most vile character would have to be Peter, he snatches a young boy off the streets and plans to sell him to some people he knows, who know just what to do with someone that young. He involves Jack in his plans by bringing the boy back to Jack's house. Jack of course is the door man at the building where Christie lives, and he comments to Graham one night that if you want to succeed, you must be willing to do anything, and that he, Jack, was willing to do anything now.
The sad fact that several of the characters share one thing in common, and that's the bed, falls to the wayside in the telling of this story. Martin sleeps with Graham, Christie, Nina Metro, and also Graham's mother Laura. When Christie gets AIDS it doesn't come as a surprise to any one watching this movie. The tender ending is almost overlooked, Christie lays on the beach dying. Graham is there talking to her, when he walks away from her you are left to wonder is he doing it for Christie's benefit or his own. So much potential is wasted in this movie that you feel let down. Some movies have the feel to them that the writer didn't try hard enough or that he gave up, The Informers gives you the feeling that he never even tried.
I give The Informers a 1 and on my avoidance scale a 3, grabbing this movie on DVD is not only a waste of your time but your money as well. the slow pace of story plot makes viewers regret coming to watch this movie that could have been so much better is we could care about what happens to any one character, but as is we couldn't care less.
The Informers is rated R for Strong Sexual Content, Nudity, Drug Use, Pervasive Language and some Disturbing Images
Running time is 1 hr. 38 mins.
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