A failed adaptation that traded absurdist satire for a dark, nihilistic meditation
In short: Based on Bret Easton Ellis's 1994 short stories, the 2008 film The Informers was intended to be a lighthearted satire of 1980s Los Angeles. Instead, a change in direction transformed the project into a grim, panned exploration of social alienation and hedonism.
The production of The Informers was marked by significant creative shifts. Originally, writers Bret Easton Ellis and Nicholas Jarecki envisioned an expansive, absurdist satire. However, when director Gregor Jordan replaced Jarecki, the film's tone shifted into what insiders described as a dark meditation. This change resulted in a final product that the writers and cast reportedly found embarrassing. This tonal shift occurred after producers decided to replace Jarecki with Australian filmmaker Gregor Jordan. Consequently, the final version received poor reviews for its grim interpretation of the source material.
The film's narrative was also heavily edited. Jordan reduced the original 150-page script to just 94 pages. During this process, the production decided to excise a supernatural subplot involving vampires, which resulted in the removal of actor Brandon Routh from the final cut. The film's setting remains the decadent, early 1980s Los Angeles, focusing on well-off characters numbing their emptiness through drugs, alcohol, and casual sex. The removal of the vampire elements also meant that Brandon Routh, who was originally cast in the role, was absent from the finished movie. The story focuses on various characters, including a rock singer and a hotel doorman, navigating the decadence of the era.
Critical reception was overwhelmingly negative. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 13% score based on 104 reviews, with critics describing it as miserable and insipid. While some viewers found it a faithful adaptation of Ellis's work, others, like John Anderson of the Washington Post, dismissed it as a nihilistic and narcissistic film lacking a sense of humor. Financially, the film struggled, grossing only $382,174 against an $18 million budget. The production was also filmed in Uruguay and Buenos Aires alongside Los Angeles. Despite its limited release, the film earned roughly $300,000 during its opening weekend in the United States.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Informers (2008 film)
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