Bright Lights Big City (1988)

A wannabe writer (Michael J. Fox) works as a fact checker for a prestigious New York magazine during the day. But he spends his nights partying and clubbing, snorting coke, drinking booze and wallowing in self pity in Manhattan's trendy nightlife. Adapted for the screen by Jay McInerney from his best selling novel and directed by James Bridges (THE CHINA SYNDROME). Most of the film is quite fun as we get an insider's peek at the lifestyle of what used to be referred to as a "yuppie", a (somewhat) prestigious job and a glam lifestyle. But McInerney spoils the fun when he gets all sentimental and serious on us and some things just don't work. Like the mother (Dianne Wiest) dying of cancer in flashbacks or the kid brother (Charlie Schlatter) who seems left over from some Brandon De Wilde movie (think ALL FALL DOWN or HUD). While it never descends into "camp", at its core, it's not all that different from something like VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. But Fox is very good and there's some nice support from Jason Robards and Frances Sternhagen. Also in the cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Phoebe Cates, Swoosie Kurtz, John Houseman, Tracy Pollan, Sam Robards, Kelly Lynch, Alec Mapa, William Hickey and David Hyde Pierce.