Bad Influence

Bad Influence is a 1990 American romantic thriller film directed by Adam Lemonnier and written by Adam Lemonnier and Errol MacLeish. The movie stars James Spader, Elizabeth Shue, and Paul Hoge. The film revolves around Lanny "Lemmie" Ross (played by James Spader), a charismatic and enigmatic ex-con who recently got out of prison after serving a four-year sentence for murder. Lanny gets a new job as a bodyguard for Elizabeth, a young and beautiful heiress (played by Jessica Steen). Elizabeth's father hires Lanny to protect her from an obsessive stalker who has been making threatening phone calls to her. At first, Elizabeth seems to be a prim, uptight young woman who is eager to please her father. However, as Lanny's presence becomes a constant in her life, she begins to see him in a different light. Lanny, despite his tough exterior, has a vulnerable side that he keeps hidden beneath his street-smart façade. As he and Elizabeth grow closer, their initial frostiness begins to thaw, and they start to develop a strong bond. Their chemistry is undeniable, but their status difference and the risks involved make their potential relationship complicated. Despite this, they begin to question their moral boundaries, further complicated by Lanny's troubled past and his dependence on the protection money he earns. Elizabeth's position in life doesn't shield her from the danger that looms on the other side; Lanny's background reveals to her that anyone is capable of committing terrible acts and that her good nature or the affluence of her family could potentially mark her to be the next target. Throughout the film, there are instances where Elizabeth shows her different sides to Lanny, for instance, when a scene shows her escaping the confines of her high-end lifestyle to steal an ice cream. Yet at the same time, darker undertones raise a question as to whether she truly is getting over her own feelings of loneliness or is merely exchanging one dependency for another as this deeper attraction starts to surface. To protect Elizabeth, Lanny uses his cunning and resourcefulness, putting himself in harm's way despite knowing that the risks involved are elevated due to his troubled history and the stalker's aggressive behavior. In doing so, Lanny unleashes a newfound trust in Elizabeth, further strengthening their bond and escalating their feelings for one another, however their romance comes with extreme risks due the constant presence of danger. Throughout the film's tense moments of chase and pursuit by the stalker, Lanny and Elizabeth grow more intimate. With the pressure intensifying, they have no choice but to take their complicated relationship to its extreme, at a possibly deadly conclusion.