Movie Review: The Informers (2009)
- By Aubrey Ward III
- Published 04/26/2009
- Reviews
- Unrated
Aubrey Ward III
I'm just a regular guy that loves watching movies and talking about them. I feel it's my duty as a world citizen to detect cinematic "bombs" so you don't have to. I'm no cinemaristocrat but if I think a film is worth spending money on I'll tell ya. If it's not fit to be used as a doorstop I will certainly tell ya. And remember to always rent first before buying.
View all articles by Aubrey Ward III
The Informers takes an in-depth look at a select group of citizens dwelling in Los Angeles circa 1983. The movie starts off with a group of friends hanging at a major party and then losing one of their own to a hit and run accident. Save for one grieving buddy the rest of the young men are not terribly shaken by the death of their mate. And why should they be? They’re young, attractive, rich and drug addled. The world is their oyster and death is nothing but a brief yet unpleasant footnote in their lofty agendas of snorting, shagging and sun-tanning.
The film depicts a variety of depressing scenarios; William (Billy Bob Thornton) tries to reconcile with his estranged wife, Laura (Kim Basinger), again while secretly pining for his former lover, Cheryl (Winona Ryder). Their son, Graham (Jon Foster), witnessed his buddy getting run over but that’s not what’s irking him. It seems he is starting to get a little annoyed that his girlfriend, Christie (Amber Heard), is sleeping around with other men including his pal, Martin (Austin Nichols). Even though Graham also sleeps with Martin and sometimes all three friends sleep together.
Another member of this inner circle is named Tim (Lou Taylor Pucci) and he is thrilled to be going to Hawaii though he wishes he didn’t have to attend the trip with his father, Les (Chris Isaak). Uncle Peter (Mickey Rourke) drops in on his nephew (Brad Renfro) and it is not a pleasant visit. And rock star Bryan Metro (Mel Raido) is coming to town to play a concert. The fans will be lucky if he's even sober enough to walk on the stage let alone sing a song all the way through without tossing his cookies on the front row.
This sobering ensemble piece based on the novel of the same name penned by Bret Easton Ellis (most noted for “Less Than Zero” and “An American Psycho”) looks at these characters and their experiences and interactions and by the time the end credits rolled I needed a shower. The majority of these characters were so self focused and pampered. Graham needs a lift to his mom’s house and when his friends can’t help he doesn’t call a cab. He orders a limo! William takes his wife and family to dinner but when he catches Cheryl at the restaurant he follows her to the restroom to see when they can schedule another date. This is the same guy trying to reunite with his wife and he’s hitting on his mistress…..in the bathroom! It’s the kind of high living you read about in the tabloids and see glamorized on shows like The O.C. and 90210. Really rich people with nothing better to do than sleep around and medicate themselves with a myriad of pills and powders.
All the stories end up pretty tragic but I felt extremely piteous for struggling actor / concierge Jack (Brad Renfro). He’s already trying to nurture his sickly career and making ends meet with his day job and then crazy Uncle Peter (Mickey Rourke) shows up and involves Jack in a very bad situation. I guess Jack might’ve represented the innocent soul that eventually gets swallowed up by the sin in the city.
Just as sad is the father and son trip to Hawaii.
Les hopes to bond with his son, Tim, and nothing says “relationship building” like being smashed for 99% of the trip and pressuring his son to hit on women at the bar. Yet again, we have a family broken apart by excess and selfishness and what a car wreck moment to see Les trying to play Father Knows Best but coming on more like a demented version of Married…With Children.
Billy Bob Thornton’s character is astonishing. I can’t get over how spaced his “William” was. He’s chatting with Cheryl about when they can get together and he’s doing this in the restaraunt's bathroom with his wife and kids right outside. The same wife he's re-pledging his devotion and faithfulness to. Cheryl pleads with William to leave her alone and that she doesn’t want to see him especially since he’s getting back with Laura. And William just keeps prattling on like everything is normal. Is he on drugs? Did he have a secret lobotomy and didn’t tell anyone? Or is he just so selfish and so accustomed to having everything his way that the concepts of boundaries, refusals and commitment have no bearing in his warped sense of reality? I can't put all the blame on William, though, since Cheryl doesn't put up a completely believable defense against William's wooing. She's a smart person but it's obvious her passion for William won't let her sever their bond.
The rock star’s story was scary. The man is selling out stadiums, his videos are the most popular on the tube, his albums are #1, and where can you usually find Bryan Metro? Stuck in bed with some underage trick. The scene where he wakes up from his stupor naked in a bed with a girl and a boy (both also naked) clearly defines a dangerous stage in Metro’s life. He doesn’t even know who they are. He just calls his guys to hoist the two bedfellows outside while he hides in the bathroom. Sex, drugs and music is far from a new issue but to see it portrayed so starkly was chilling.
What disturbed me most about The Informers was that this kind of behavior is still happening today. Heck, we have reality shows based on the decadent lifestyles of the wealthy and privileged. Mainstream news media has given just as much, if not more, coverage to a drunk Lindsay Lohan puking on the curb as they do the crisis in Darfur. My point is that not much has changed since 1983. The movie could've been set in 2009 and it would still be relevant. Just switch the soundtrack artists from Devo and Flying Seagulls to Beyonce and Lady Gaga and it’ll fit right in. And of course the drug related death of co-star, Brad Renfro, adds even more irony to an already karma drenched tale.
The Informers is an unflinching and unapologetic morality story set in a gritty independent film style. You’ll get to watch these characters live it up and then witness their woeful downfalls. I didn’t think it was too preachy. The film simply showed people making certain lifestyle choices and the repercussions of those decisions. I felt that The Informers reminded me that too much of a seemingly good thing can be harmful to my health and to those closest to me. Just another cinematic reminder that the grass is always greener usually because it’s painted that way
The film depicts a variety of depressing scenarios; William (Billy Bob Thornton) tries to reconcile with his estranged wife, Laura (Kim Basinger), again while secretly pining for his former lover, Cheryl (Winona Ryder). Their son, Graham (Jon Foster), witnessed his buddy getting run over but that’s not what’s irking him. It seems he is starting to get a little annoyed that his girlfriend, Christie (Amber Heard), is sleeping around with other men including his pal, Martin (Austin Nichols). Even though Graham also sleeps with Martin and sometimes all three friends sleep together.
Another member of this inner circle is named Tim (Lou Taylor Pucci) and he is thrilled to be going to Hawaii though he wishes he didn’t have to attend the trip with his father, Les (Chris Isaak). Uncle Peter (Mickey Rourke) drops in on his nephew (Brad Renfro) and it is not a pleasant visit. And rock star Bryan Metro (Mel Raido) is coming to town to play a concert. The fans will be lucky if he's even sober enough to walk on the stage let alone sing a song all the way through without tossing his cookies on the front row.
This sobering ensemble piece based on the novel of the same name penned by Bret Easton Ellis (most noted for “Less Than Zero” and “An American Psycho”) looks at these characters and their experiences and interactions and by the time the end credits rolled I needed a shower. The majority of these characters were so self focused and pampered. Graham needs a lift to his mom’s house and when his friends can’t help he doesn’t call a cab. He orders a limo! William takes his wife and family to dinner but when he catches Cheryl at the restaurant he follows her to the restroom to see when they can schedule another date. This is the same guy trying to reunite with his wife and he’s hitting on his mistress…..in the bathroom! It’s the kind of high living you read about in the tabloids and see glamorized on shows like The O.C. and 90210. Really rich people with nothing better to do than sleep around and medicate themselves with a myriad of pills and powders.
All the stories end up pretty tragic but I felt extremely piteous for struggling actor / concierge Jack (Brad Renfro). He’s already trying to nurture his sickly career and making ends meet with his day job and then crazy Uncle Peter (Mickey Rourke) shows up and involves Jack in a very bad situation. I guess Jack might’ve represented the innocent soul that eventually gets swallowed up by the sin in the city.
Just as sad is the father and son trip to Hawaii.
Billy Bob Thornton’s character is astonishing. I can’t get over how spaced his “William” was. He’s chatting with Cheryl about when they can get together and he’s doing this in the restaraunt's bathroom with his wife and kids right outside. The same wife he's re-pledging his devotion and faithfulness to. Cheryl pleads with William to leave her alone and that she doesn’t want to see him especially since he’s getting back with Laura. And William just keeps prattling on like everything is normal. Is he on drugs? Did he have a secret lobotomy and didn’t tell anyone? Or is he just so selfish and so accustomed to having everything his way that the concepts of boundaries, refusals and commitment have no bearing in his warped sense of reality? I can't put all the blame on William, though, since Cheryl doesn't put up a completely believable defense against William's wooing. She's a smart person but it's obvious her passion for William won't let her sever their bond.
The rock star’s story was scary. The man is selling out stadiums, his videos are the most popular on the tube, his albums are #1, and where can you usually find Bryan Metro? Stuck in bed with some underage trick. The scene where he wakes up from his stupor naked in a bed with a girl and a boy (both also naked) clearly defines a dangerous stage in Metro’s life. He doesn’t even know who they are. He just calls his guys to hoist the two bedfellows outside while he hides in the bathroom. Sex, drugs and music is far from a new issue but to see it portrayed so starkly was chilling.
What disturbed me most about The Informers was that this kind of behavior is still happening today. Heck, we have reality shows based on the decadent lifestyles of the wealthy and privileged. Mainstream news media has given just as much, if not more, coverage to a drunk Lindsay Lohan puking on the curb as they do the crisis in Darfur. My point is that not much has changed since 1983. The movie could've been set in 2009 and it would still be relevant. Just switch the soundtrack artists from Devo and Flying Seagulls to Beyonce and Lady Gaga and it’ll fit right in. And of course the drug related death of co-star, Brad Renfro, adds even more irony to an already karma drenched tale.
The Informers is an unflinching and unapologetic morality story set in a gritty independent film style. You’ll get to watch these characters live it up and then witness their woeful downfalls. I didn’t think it was too preachy. The film simply showed people making certain lifestyle choices and the repercussions of those decisions. I felt that The Informers reminded me that too much of a seemingly good thing can be harmful to my health and to those closest to me. Just another cinematic reminder that the grass is always greener usually because it’s painted that way