'The Informers' trawls the underbelly of 1980s LA

The late Brad Renfro makes his final big-screen appearance in this downbeat depiction of sex, drugs and infidelity in 1980s Los Angeles, adapted by screenwriter Nicholas Jarecki and author Brett Easton Ellis (American Psycho) from his own book of the same name.

The plot interlaces the misery of characters, whose fates are linked by the bed partners they share at a time before the spectre of AIDS cast its long shadow.

Drug dealer Graham (Jon Foster) feeds the habits of his many clients, oblivious to the disintegrating marriage of his mother Laura (Kim Basinger) and father William (Billy Bob Thornton), who is embroiled in an affair with newscaster Cheryl (Winona Ryder).

Meanwhile, crook Peter (Mickey Rourke) accumulates ill-gotten gains by stealing little boys to order, his nephew Jack (Renfro) pursues a hopeless dream of becoming an actor, and Christie (Amber Heard) sleeps with anyone and everyone if it will nudge her closer to fame and fortune.

Rating: 3/5