The Informers

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The Informers

R

Released Apr 24, 2009

1h 38m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

13%

Tomatometer

104 Reviews

18%

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10,000+ Ratings

In 1980s Los Angeles, a group of self-absorbed hedonists drift through their lives without the benefit of a moral compass. A movie executive (Billy Bob Thornton) carries on an affair with a newscaster, while his son (Jon Foster) tries to sort out his relationship with his promiscuous girlfriend (Amber Heard). Meanwhile, a sleazy ex-con (Mickey Rourke) hatches a plan to sell a kidnapped child for some quick cash.

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Critics Consensus

As miserable and insipid as its protagonists, The Informers fails to provide anything to think about after the sheen of fake blond is gone.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

It was a series of randomness that don't really offer much information or contribute to the overall point.

Rated: C

Sep 12, 2017

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Ben Kenigsberg

Time Out

Rated: 2/5

Nov 18, 2011

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Rob Nelson

Variety

Rating less than zero on the sophistication scale, The Informers is thus a totally faithful adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' novel--and an accurate look at early '80s-era Los Angeles.

Sep 1, 2009

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Compounding the lack of intrigue is a storyline that is all introduction and setup, leaving the audience waiting for a third act that never comes.

Rated: 3/10

Nov 28, 2020

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Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

Heaven protect us from any more Bret Easton Ellis versions of Tales of the Empty Lives of Los Angeles.

Aug 18, 2011

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Burl Burlingame

Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Brad Renfro in his last movie role, playing a wannabe film actor who sprays out filthy perspiration like a collie emerging from a sewer. It's possible this role killed Renfro.

Rated: 1/4

Jul 5, 2011

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David F

I mean, the book was better but I guess that goes without saying. This film didn’t make much of an impression on me.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/28/25

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Alain E

As a movie accused of nihilism the ideal approval rating should be 0%, so the 10% positive reviews it accumulated indicates failure. What it actually shows is, that it went way above the comprehension level of the audience. Strangely, the other movie based on a Bret Easton Ellis book American Psycho, which describes a character without any redeeming values except the ability to recognize the best in consumption goods, was universally praised. The main differences with the present movie is that the director then was female and the Christian Bale character mutilated dead women. In the present film the Mickey Rourke miscreant abducts a little boy in a foolish plan to ask for ransom, but eventually the child is set free. Maybe the reviews would be more positive if the child was murdered. The film describes the hedonistic society that is about to be upended by the emergence of AIDS. Cinematography is excellent with very good music and first class actors. But people want to watch realistic movies like the Avatar and Avengers sagas.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/27/24

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Stefanie S

I love Brett Easton Ellis. I have read three of his novels, but honestly, I have never read a more disjointed book in my life. I have no idea how it even got published. The brutal murders of a child, the vampire vibe thing that makes no sense at all. I couldn't follow it for the life of me. the only chapter that had any heart at all was the college student who was coming back to L.A. from the east on a train. Each chapter of this book, you have to guess who is the protagonist speaking, what is happening and you're in the middle of the chapter before you even know who's speaking and what's happening. I'm surprised he would write this kind of junk.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/23/24

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Peter G

A majorly misunderstood movie. A lovely dark and disturbing drama about the collapse of honest living.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/11/24

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Steve D

An absolute despite the cast.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/24

Full Review

Audience Member

A movie as pretentious and vapid as one of its leading actresses (Amber Heard), you know immediately that it won't be worth watching aside from an otherwise solid cast. This movie is nothing but a mishmash of noncohesive series of events that have no plot or character development.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

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Gregor Jordan

Director

Billy Bob Thornton

William Sloan

Kim Basinger

Laura Sloan

Mickey Rourke

Peter

Winona Ryder

Cheryl

Jon Foster

Graham Sloan

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Synopsis

In 1980s Los Angeles, a group of self-absorbed hedonists drift through their lives without the benefit of a moral compass. A movie executive (Billy Bob Thornton) carries on an affair with a newscaster, while his son (Jon Foster) tries to sort out his relationship with his promiscuous girlfriend (Amber Heard). Meanwhile, a sleazy ex-con (Mickey Rourke) hatches a plan to sell a kidnapped child for some quick cash.

Director: Gregor Jordan
Producer: Marco Weber
Screenwriter: Bret Easton Ellis, Nicholas Jarecki
Distributor: Senator Film
Production Co: Senator Entertainment
Rating: R (Nudity|Drug Use|Pervasive Language|Some Disturbing Images|Strong Sexual Content)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 24, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 9, 2009
Runtime: 1h 38m

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