Bad Influence

Michael Boll is a young Los Angeles executive whose life looks settled: a steady career, a wealthy fiancée, and a future mapped out for him. When a stranger named Alex steps in to help him during a scuffle in a bar, Michael is drawn to the man's confidence and disregard for rules. Alex introduces him to a night-time world of clubs, drugs and casual sex, and seems at first to help Michael stand up to the people around him. As Alex's influence grows, Michael's engagement ends, his behaviour at work changes, and he is pulled into criminal acts. Attempts to break free of Alex only make things worse, and their relationship moves toward violence.

Curtis Hanson directed the film, his fourth of thirteen, between Evil Town and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, from a screenplay by David Koepp. James Spader plays Michael and Rob Lowe plays Alex, with Lisa Zane, Marcia Cross, Rosalyn Landor and Kathleen Wilhoite in supporting roles. The film runs 99 minutes.

Made for about 7 million dollars, Bad Influence took roughly 13 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb the film holds a 6.1 out of 10 from 20 reviews, and on TMDB it has a 6 out of 10 from 202 votes, placing critical and audience responses in similar territory.