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Trailer

Less Than Zero

1987Movie1 h 38 minR

CrimeDrama
56
DecentGoodWatch score
IMDb6.4Metacritic486.3Rotten Tomatoes50%63%

A relentlessly bleak, deeply moving drama movie about everyday modern life and the mind.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, uplift or comfort.

Movies with

Story

It only looks like the good life.

A college freshman returns to Los Angeles for Christmas at his ex-girlfriend's request, but discovers that his former best friend has an out-of-control drug habit.

Feels like

  • Bleak Addiction Drama
  • 80s Youth Culture
  • Decadence & Despair
  • Tragic Romance
  • Lost Innocence
  • Social Critique
  • Psychological Decline
  • Los Angeles Setting
  • Heavy Themes

Cast

22 of 22

Crew

Directed by
Marek Kanievska
Written by
Bret Easton Ellis, Harley Peyton
Produced by
Jon Avnet, Marvin Worth, Jordan Kerner
Music by
Thomas Newman

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

November 6, 1987 · 1 h 38 min · R

Released
November 6, 1987
Runtime
1 h 38 min
Age rating
R
Content
Drug Use, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Suicide Themes, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama, Crime
Original language
English
Also spoken
German, Spanish
Made in
United States
Budget
$8 million
Box office
$12 million
Available in
3 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

The Film of the Book, Bittersweet Ending, Chick Magnet +9

  • The Film of the Book
  • Bittersweet Ending
  • Chick Magnet
  • Death by Adaptation
  • Canon Foreigner
  • Precision F-Strike
  • Interrupted Intimacy
  • Adaptational Badass
  • Would Hit a Girl
  • Making Love in All the Wrong Places
  • Missing Mom
  • Adaptational Heroism

12 of 26 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream Less Than Zero?"

Questions about Less Than Zero

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Less Than Zero?

Hulu

In the United States, Less Than Zero streams on Hulu.

Is Less Than Zero worth watching?

56
DecentGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 56 (IMDb 6.4, Rotten Tomatoes 50%, and Metacritic 48). Audiences rate it higher (63 out of 100) than critics (49).

Will I feel good after watching Less Than Zero?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 10 of 10 for bleakness and 9 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

Is Less Than Zero plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on pathos (9 of 10) and character depth (7 of 10) more than on its plot.

What tropes does Less Than Zero use?

The Film of the BookBittersweet EndingChick MagnetDeath by AdaptationCanon ForeignerPrecision F-StrikeInterrupted IntimacyAdaptational BadassWould Hit a GirlMaking Love in All the Wrong PlacesMissing MomAdaptational Heroismand 14 more

TV Tropes lists 26 tropes for it, including The Film of the Book, Bittersweet Ending, and Chick Magnet.