| The
Review: |
As one of those thrillers where
a dweeb with low self-esteem is shown the more temptatious,
frivolous side of life, only to realize he had it better the
first time around, "Bad Influence" delivers more than you'd
expect. The plot is actually less smart than it appears, but
the interplay and exchanges between the two main characters
keeps things at a feverpitch on more than one occassion, and
director Curtis Hanson employs a style that is in the tradition
of the better films of the genre. ***
In it, James Spader strays from
the bad-boy persona of his roles in "Pretty in Pink" and "Less
Than Zero," and plays said dweeb, Michael Boll, a financial
analyst who just can't seem to get ahead in life. He doesn't
seem too phased about his engagement to a wealthy socialite
who seems to genuinely love him. His rival, Patterson, one
of those office pricks who always gets the bigger end of the
stick, uses him as a means to become more qualified for a
higher position; even though he has the brains and ability
to overcome this economical nemesis, Michael doesn't believe
in himself enough to actually do something about it. ***
All of this changes when a chance
encounter in a barroom struggle lands him face-to-face with
Alex (Rob Lowe), a dashing drifter who could charm the pants
off of Margaret Thatcher. Alex prevents Michael from being
hurt, then disappears; later, when he discovers his wallet
in missing, Michael returns to the bar, then heads out for
a run on the beach, only to once again meet up with Alex,
whereafter the two become fast friends and make nice with
the ladies in a local bar. ***
At this point, Michael is already
fascinated by Alex's way of living. He falls in love with
the excess of it all: the alcohol, the women, the go-get-'em
attitude that drives him to take charge of his business life
and hit his office foe where it hurts. Things seem to be going
uphill for him with this new change of pace and lifestyle,
but this all comes at a price. You see, Alex isn't the type
of guy who stops for stop signs, and he completely ignores
all of Michael's comfort zones and brings his life into a
state of ruin. He videotapes a one-nighter between Michael
and another woman, then shows up as a business associate to
Michael at a party thrown by his fiancee's parents, video
in tow. He gets him extremely drunk later that night, and
the two knock over a burger joint and a liquor store. The
next morning, Michael wakes up with a bloody hand; later at
the office, people are talking about Patterson being mugged
the night before. ***
So of course, Michael's moral side
is putting in overtime telling him to get out while he still
can, but Alex refuses to let him back down, and that's where
things get even more troublesome for our once-timid businessman.
From here, the events play out in a juxtaposition between
cat-and-mouse antics and psychological malarkey, with the
reliable "How will you prove it was me?" aspect coming into
play all-too-often, and some chases and stake-outs for godo
measure. It's typical thriller fare, but Hanson is careful
to keep things interesting so the film never loses its grip
on our throats. One becomes immersed enough in the beginning
and middle, that by the end it's kind of like, "I've come
this far, I might as well stick it out." ***
As the villain, Lowe projects just
the right amount of snide superiority and sinister underpinnings
to keep us riveted by his evil side. He's also very convincing
as the good-natured fellow he portends to be to his unsuspecting
victims, and that makes it all the more chilling. Spader makes
a nice segue from his bored lifestyle to the frivolity of
his new surroundings, and when it comes time to jump back
into reality and clean up his mess, he takes on a seriousness
and determination that keeps us intrigued throughout. ***
"Bad Influence" is ultimately one
of the more forgettable thrillers of the early 90's, but those
who happen upon it are in for a pleasant little treat of a
movie that packs more of a whallop than some have given it
credit for.
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| Image
and Sound |
The 1.85:1 image is a commendable
presentation that never fails to impress. Colors are well-saturated
for a nice vibrancy throughout, and there are no signs of
bleeding. Fleshtones remain accurate, while blacks are almost
always solid. Edges are sharp without any signs of enhancement
artifacts, and while there is the occassional noise here and
there in the background, it's nothing too intrusive. ***
The Dolby 2.0 Surround track is
more or less front-heavy, with the sparse musical chord making
its way into the surrounds for a little ambiance here and
there. Dialogue is clean and centered, with some minor leakage
into the front channels. Sound effects are at times enhanced
by the .1 LFE, which tends to remain absent much of the time.
The sound may feel a bit congested at the front end, but nevertheless,
the track suits the movie well.
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