bkoganbing Handsome and charismatic, Rob Lowe is also one amoral sociopath who moves into the life of yuppie James Spader and leads him into things he never thought he'd be involved in. Lowe is truly one Bad Influence.This is quite a bit younger James Spader we see in this film, not the confident attorney who moved in and took over The Practice with Denny Crane. Spader is a stock trader, an eager young man looking for promotion in his company that's run by John DeLancie (can you imagine having Q for a boss). He and Tony Maggio are up for the same promotion, but Maggio is unscrupulous in his pursuit of it.One night when a jealous boyfriend threatens to clean Spader's clock after he tries to make some clumsy moves on his girl friend, Spader gets saved by Rob Lowe. Later on he meets Lowe and the two of them strike up a curious relationship. Spader needs lessons in unscrupulous and Lowe's a good teacher.It's all fun and games at first even when they pull a convenience store robbery, but it gets real serious when Spader has second thoughts and tries to break from Lowe. The film gets real intense.This is one of Rob Lowe's best acted films. In character Lowe is very similar to Tyrone Power's Stan Carlisle from Nightmare Alley. In fact Lowe is the closest thing we've seen to a reincarnation on the screen of Power when he does his hero/heel thing. Rob's never played the straight out hero though the way Power did also. But he's sure got the bad aspect of Power's portfolio down.Lowe dominates Bad Influence completely, but it's that kind of part. The rest of the cast performs ably and Curtis Hanson's direction to his cast is first rate. For Rob Lowe's fans not to be missed.

sol ***SPOILER*** Being pushed around all his adult life yuppie financial analyst Michael or Mick Boll's, James Spader, abusive life made a sudden turnaround when he accidentally ran into his "Knight in Shining Armor" the mysterious Alex, Rob Lowe.Just trying to be a nice guy Michael paid for a drink that Karen,Susan Lee Hofman,didn't have the cash for. In pops Karen's jealous boyfriend Willie, Jack Kaake, who in finding out that Michael acted like a gentleman to his now estranged girlfriend tried to plant, by slamming it, his face into the counter! If it wasn't for Alex coming to Michael's rescue, with a broken beer glass, the movie "Bad Infulance" would have been over almost as soon as it began.Taking the wimpy Michael under his wing Alex gets him involved, after getting Michael stone cold drunk, in a number of armed robberies that he later uses to blackmail him with. Alex also has Michael's rival, for senior financial analyst, at his firm Patterson, Tommy Maggio, beaten to a pulp in order for Michael to get the coveted job. Not that Patterson was an innocent party in his screwing Michael by erasing all the hard work, on his personal computer, that he did to get the job.It's later that Alex really gets to work on Michael in not only getting him in bed with hooker Claire, Lisa Zane, but video taping the sleazy and sordid event. Alex uses the incriminating video to destroy Michael's wedding plans to rich well beard and sweet Ruth Fielding, Marcia Cross, whom he was engaged to marry! Later in order to keep Michael in line Alex kills Claire, with Michael's favorite golf club,in his apartment leaving him as the police's prime suspect in her murder!As it turns out Alex's plan to have Michael under his control backfired in Michael becoming almost as smart and manipulative as he is. In fact Alex in trying to make Michael into his personal slave created a Frankenstein monster instead. A monster who in the end with the help of his even more scared and wimpy older brother Pismo, Christian Clemeron, would put the arrogant and sure of himself Alex in his place! By having him take a long walk off the end of a short pier on the Pacific Ocean!You never get to know what Alex's fascination with Michael really was. Alex like the "Lone Ranger" just shows up at the bar and takes control of Michael's life as if, Michael's confrontation with Willie, was planned far in advance! Alex getting Michael involved in his murderous antics also didn't make much sense in that Michael can, like Alex did to Michael, implicate him in them as well!The only explication I can see in Alex's actions is that he just wanted to corrupt, like the Devil, a harmless and innocent person. And as it turned out it was that person, Michael, who used Alex's underhanded tactics in his own self preservation by having them boomerang on him!

sedativchunk I just watched this movie on account of being a big Boston Legal, I am a big James Spader fan, and this movie really delivered!Generally, for those who have not seen the film, it is about a guy named Michael Boll played by James Spader, who gets intoxicated at a party and ends up robbing two places late a night with a psychotic good for nothing named Alex played by Rob Lowe. A colleague at Michael Boll's place of work ended up getting beaten up very bad by some thugs, and and Boll think's he was responsible for it as his knuckles were beaten up and bloody and he cannot remember what happened. Throughout the plot, questions are answered about Boll's involvement with the colleague getting beat up, and eventually the character Alex starts to go loony on Boll and try's to frame him for a crime.The rest of the film is a suspenseful ride in which (the big moment for Boston Legal fans) Christian Clemensen comes into the movie, playing Spader's character's brother. The two of them go through the movie alert that someone may be out to kill them, and they have to get the story straight on the crime(s) committed once and for all. Of course, to make the most sense of the movie, you have to see it, but my debrief of what this movie is about should help you determine if you want to see it or not. I have seen a few other of Spader's films (Pretty in Pink and Secretary) and I think this is my favorite so far. Spader puts on a very convincing performance and one thing I have to say about this film is this; it's an enjoyable suspense movie because it does not drag on for too long. One thing I really hate about modern suspense movies is they drag on for too long. Eventually, the suspense and thrill of a modern suspense movie die off because of the movie being dragged on with special effects and crappy acting. Well Bad Influence has neither one of those attributes to make the movie suck. It focuses on a simple and suspenseful story line with questions of the plot answered fast enough that you don't get bored of the movie. This isn't the best movie in history, but it's definitely one worth seeing whether your like suspense movies or not.

Lucien Lessard An smart Financial Analyst but socially shy and inept Michael Boll (James Spader) seems to be living the good life. But he feels, there's something missing in his life... a sense of danger. But when Micheal meets Alex (Rob Lowe), a mysteriously drifter but intriguing seemingly clever guy. Alex tells Micheal, he should be open more to his life and taking responsibility. At first... Micheal is having a great time with his new found friend. But Alex isn't what he seems to be and especially when Alex is slowly making Micheal's life is a living hell.Directed by Oscar-Winner:Curtis Hanson (8 Mile, L.A. Confidential, Wonder Boys) made an fascinating, something lurid thriller that keeps on being entertaining. Lowe is actually pretty good in the lead and Spader is excellent as usual. This smart thriller has some suspenseful moments and a few great moments of black comedy. But sometimes... the script by David Koepp (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Death Becomes Her, Carlito's Way) goes over the line and it gets to be really silly at times. But still, the feature was made before Hanson's breakthrough feature "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" and Hanson handles the suspense like a pro.DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer (Also in Pan & Scan) and an good Dolby Surround 2.0 Surround Sound. DVD's only extra feature is the original theatrical trailer. Sometimes i wonder if "Bad Influence" would be a better thriller... if Lowe and Spader switched roles. But still, it offers better suspense what movies have to offer these days. It's worth a look. Plenty of familiar faces appears in small supporting roles and cameos. (*** ½/*****).