Monday, June 28, 2010

THE INFORMERS (2009)




CAST: Billy Bob Thornton, Jon Foster, Amber Heard, Chris Issak, Brad Renfro, Rhys Ifans, Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder, Lou Taylor Pucci, Austin Nichols, Katy Mixon, Jessica Stroup

Directed by: Gregor Jordan
Written By: Nicholas Jarecki & Bret Easton Ellis
Based on the novel by: Bret Easton Ellis
Cinematography By: Petra Korner
Editor: Robert Brakey



This film is quite stylish but it doesn’t disguise the fact of how bad the film is in quality.

Gregor Jordan was a last minute replacement as the director and I believe you can tell as it seems as the material is disassociated from the style at times.

The film has a great arrangement of stars who all seem to be in this film as a form of a comeback by playing against type but unfortunately the film fails them. Luckily for each of them they are not really in the film that long as the film has been marketed on there names but most of the film focuses on the young cast.

The film just seems like it was made to shock. It doesn’t help that it’s source material (Which I have read) wasn’t very strong to begin with. The book is ok but largely free floating with no story, Just a theme. The film looks more like it was made for a nihilistic nostalgic trip back to the 80’s I’m shocked it still got such a good cast. The director has talent and style, but he tries to bring artistic flourish to a film that’s too vapid to care or really find interest in.

The funny thing is this is exactly the type of film I would look through the TV Guide weekly movie guide as a teenager. Read about it’s plot see it had graphic nudity then stay up late and watch the film in fact I would probably plan my week around the viewing to have enough energy and make sure my parents were asleep so I could actually watch the film and not turn it off at the first sign of something objectionable.

Then you are all super hyped to watch it but you sit there dumbfounded because the movie is so bad and seemingly unfocused. So that you can’t really understand it. So your mouth is agape and you just can’t wait for any sign of nudity. There are copious amounts but anytime a scene ends up heading in that direction you get excited only to be fooled this film. i might have been satisfied because as a teenager there was no such thing as too much nudity. Actresss Amber Heard plays most of her role nude, so it’s hard to focus really on her acting.

It’s a shame this is Brad Renfro’s last film especially if you consider the material and the manner in which he died.

Even for all the doom and gloom the book is even more depressing and violent

SKIP IT

GRADE: F

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