‘The Informers’ disappoints

Set in early-80s Los Angeles, the ‘The Informers’ (directed by Gregor Jordan) follows a group of attractive youths in their twenties as they navigate their drug-and-sex-infused lives. Adapted to screen from the Bret Ellis’ novel, the idea behind the film is much like Ellis’ other works ‘Less than Zero’ and ‘American Psycho,’ but, this time, the themes seem trite and fall flat.
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‘The Informers,’ named after a British rock group in the film, begins at a party where the characters’ friend gets hit by a car and dies.’ Most of characters ‘-‘- each tremendously wealthy ‘-‘- are completely indifferent to his death, while others’ lives begin to intertwine.

Jon Foster plays Graham whose girlfriend, Christie (‘Pineapple Express” Amber Heard), is an unsalvageable cocaine addict. Graham’s evolution from jaded rich boy to slightly sensitive rich boy seems forced when he says, ‘I need someone to tell me what is good, ok, and I need someone to tell me what’s bad. Because if nobody tells you these things . . . how do you know what’s good and what’s bad?’ His change of heart needs a little more context ‘-‘- as does most of the plot.
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Graham’s parents William (Billy Bob Thornton) and Laura (Kim Basinger) are not likable or relatable whatsoever.’ For most of the film Laura is numb and depressed, only sobering up enough to finally confront William about his affair with a local television anchor (Winona Ryder). There’s no way you can like Thornton’s character of vain husband, yet he lacks the intensity needed to make you really sympathize with Laura. To Thornton’s credit, though, all of the film’s characters are so vacuous and arrogant that the actors did not have much depth to assume.
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Mickey Rourke is convincing as Peter, a sleazy con man who kidnaps a little boy with intention to sell him to possible pedophiles. Maybe it’s his greasy appearance and awful goatee, but he really embodies this immoral character. Brad Renfro, Peter’s nervous and honest nephew Jack, gets physically sick when Peter ties up the kidnapped boy in Jack’s bathtub. Jack is the only character who represents the one semi-respectable person trying to make a decent life in a corrupt city.
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Other characters include a washed-up rock star, a drunken father and a dejected son. Overall, it’s hard to relate to the characters save for their group descision to wear those trendy black Ray Ban sunglasses. ‘The Informers’ is a big disappointment compared to other adaptations of Ellis’ work, coming off as nothing more than a way to show off attractive people and their idiotic and hollow lives.