Less Than Zero

A college freshman (Andrew McCarthy) returns home to Beverly Hills for Christmas only to find that his best friend (Robert Downey Jr.) has become a cocaine addict.

Less Than Zero may be the most expensive After School Special ever produced. It pretends to be an expose of the vapid, privileged life of rich teens in LA, but it’s so one-sided that it ends up coming across as preachy and trite.

And it’s a real shame considering all the talent in front of the camera. Robert Downey Jr. stands out in a sea of great performances that are unfortunately wasted by a mindless script and an uninspired director.

I suspect everyone involved would rather pretend this movie never happened.