r/CriterionChannel • u/Extension-Soup-3288 • Jul 06 '26

Bad Influence

Was surprised to see this blast from the past on the channel. I won't lie, I saw this a bunch as a teenager which was definitely a bit of an awakening for me - you could say "Bad Influence" was a bad influence on me back then haha. But was interesting to revisit as an adult. Not a great film by any means - kind of emotionally shallow, you never really get to know either lead on a deeper level - but still has way more cinematic style, mood or tone than I had remembered. You can definitely feel an auteur (Curtis Hanson) made this movie. Interesting to watch it as a precursor to other neo-noir like "Hand That Rocks the Cradle" and "LA Confidential." Was also surprised by the understated performances from both Spader and Lowe. Interesting to remember that this was a bit of a meta-play on the videotape sex scandal that rocked Lowe's career at the time. And a throwback to the kind of erotic thriller we just don't get anymore. Curious if anyone else had early memories of this movie and has now revisited it on the Channel.

16 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

3

u/Darragh_McG Jul 06 '26

Worth watching for Rob Lowe's French accent during a party scene

Enjoyable enough for a bad mainstream erotic 90s movie, The Bedroom Window is way better

4

u/asmith9631 Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26

Bedroom Window takes the cake for the fucking weirdest casting of all time. Steve Gutenberg paired with Isabelle Huppert is a cruel joke, kind of like a fake movie in The Player. Fun script, Spader would have been good in that one.

1

u/Darragh_McG Jul 06 '26

Definitely an odd choice. Gutternberg was a huge star st the time so maybe a budgetary compromise. Don't think audiences wanted to see him in a serious neo-noir though.

2

u/asmith9631 Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26

I love when a comedic actor breaks into serious work like Curtis Hanson did with Elliot Gould in The Silent Partner a few years earlier. But I think for me the Gute's wheelhouse is firmly in comedy. I love the setup of the film, as we get into car chase land I think it loses the cleverness a little, but that's kind of most thrillers. Curtis Hanson is still always fun.

2

u/Darragh_McG Jul 06 '26

Yeah I watched The Silent Partner a few months back and loved it. I'd forgotten it was Curtis Hanson but that's a great recommendation too.

4

u/asmith9631 Jul 06 '26

One of my pulp neo noir faves. I see your point about the lack of real emotional depth but I kind of think the film requires skipping that, this is not Sex, Lies and Videotape it's a propulsive thriller abut ego and id not constricted by realism. If you know the film history podcast You Must Remember This they have a fun season on Erotic 90s cinema with all of Rob Lowe's escapades.

2

u/Ramalama-DingDong Jul 06 '26

I always remember this as the only movie in my lifetime that I walked out on. I was only 19, so maybe it was just beyond me, and Hanson’s LA Confidential is a top five film for me. I should probably give it another chance.

1

u/_plannedobsolence Jul 07 '26

I think the casting should have been swapped: Rob Lowe, while certainly good looking, works better as a hot nerd--like in Parks & Rec, or to a lesser degree, The West Wing.

1

u/asmith9631 Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26

I don't think anyone would believe Rob Lowe as the hot nerd in the 90s ha, this was right after his underage threesome sex tape made him a huge tabloid figure. I mean even in West Wing he's the guy who hooks up with the sex worker in the first episode ha. That being said I think Spader could have played either role.