Movies like Less Than Zero

Kids is a realistic and disturbing portrayal of a day in the life of a group of New York City teenagers. If you are captivated by the raw and often shocking exploration of youth culture and substance abuse in Less Than Zero, then Kids is a must-watch.

A harrowing dive into the lives of four individuals bound by their various addictions, Requiem for a Dream pulls no punches in its depiction of substance abuse and its consequences. Like Less Than Zero, this movie offers a stark and stylized look at the downward spiral that drugs can inflict on people's lives.

Trainspotting is a cult classic that explores the lives of a group of heroin addicts in Edinburgh. The film is both humorous and devastating in its portrayal of addiction, and in a similar fashion to Less Than Zero, does not shy away from the darker aspects of drug culture.

Set in the late 1970s to the early 1980s, Boogie Nights follows the rise and fall of a young adult film star in the San Fernando Valley. The film showcases the excesses and pitfalls of an industry's golden age, much like Less Than Zero's exploration of the dark side of opulent youth culture.

This movie chronicles the teenage years of writer Jim Carroll and includes a transformation from a promising student-athlete to a heroin addict. The Basketball Diaries, much like Less Than Zero, portrays the tragic impact of drug addiction in a visceral and moving way.

Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, who also penned the book that Less Than Zero is based on, The Rules of Attraction is a dark comedy-drama that showcases the hedonistic lifestyle of a group of well-off college students. Its gritty narrative and controversial subjects will appeal to viewers who appreciate the unflinching look at youth and moral decline in Less Than Zero.

This movie tells the story of the infamous New York City club promoter Michael Alig and his descent into drugs and murder. Party Monster's exploration of a subculture wrapped up in glamor, drugs, and excess makes for a comparable narrative to the one in Less Than Zero, presenting a stark look at the consequences of unchecked hedonism.

With a similar theme of decadence and self-destruction among young adults in a metropolitan setting, Bright Lights, Big City follows the story of a magazine fact-checker in New York City who spirals into cocaine addiction. It captures the era's urban nightlife excesses in a parallel vein to Less Than Zero.