Bad Influence


2/4

Starring: James Spader, Rob Lowe, Lisa Zane, Christian Clemenson, Tony Maggio

Rated R for Violence and Language (I Guess)

The “stranger within” movies are like romantic comedies.  They follow a very specific formula, and if you have the intangibles (interesting characters, atmosphere, and escalating tension), the movie will turn out great.  There are a number of terrific entries in the genre: “Fatal Attraction,” “Single White Female,” and my personal favorite, “Fear.”  Sadly, if there is something lacking, you end up with a dud like “Bad Influence.”

Financial analyst Michael Boll (Spader) is in a rut.  A sleazy co-worker (Maggio) hid a crucial file of his, and he’s engaged even though he isn’t sure he wants to get married.  At a bar drowning his troubles, he is nearly beaten by a thuggish boyfriend when he is saved by a Good Samaritan named Alex (Lowe).  He’s good looking, charismatic, and wants to bring Michael out of his shell.  But then things start going too far for Michael’s comfort.

What’s especially sad about “Bad Influence” is that it could have been a lot more.  Spader and Lowe give good performances, and their characters are interesting.  Sadly, the script lacks teeth of any kind, and future wonderboy director Curtis Hanson has no understanding of what makes this kind of a thriller work (his other entry into the genre, the laughably bad “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle,” proves this).

The lone bright spots in the film are Spader and Lowe.  Spader, a good low-key actor known for playing slimy characters, is good as the ultra-meek Michael.  He’s likable, and it’s nice to watch him stop being such a doormat and grow a backbone.  Likewise, Rob Lowe is also very good.  Lowe is also not a stranger to playing sleazy characters (“Tommy Boy,” anyone?), but Alex is a different breed.  At the outset, he’s someone we’d all like to be: good looking, self-confident and energetic.  Anyone would be drawn to him like a moth to a flame, so a wimp like Michael doesn’t stand a chance.

Curtis Hanson is not a hack director.  “LA Confidential” was adored by critics (I found it to be okay, but very overrated), and “In Her Shoes” was a romantic comedy with a surprising amount of heart and honesty.  It’s clear that he’s more at home with character-based films, and that’s something that is not at all like what is necessary for this kind of movie to work.  He doesn’t have a knack for generating tension or atmosphere, two things that are mandatory for any thriller (although there is an inventive sequence involving a video camera that is quite suspenseful).

It has potential, but it's unrealized.

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