Review of The Rules of Attraction (2002) by Mike B — 28 Feb 2015

A cold, bitter, insane, dark comedy that manages to subvert the romantic genre, as well as showcase Roger Avary's unique and inventive filmmaking skills, and I loved every second of it. I have to give him mad props for truly bringing this batshit crazy world of these complex, appropriately frustrating characters to life, without making them seem one-note, or conventional.

And even when these characters are making some legendarily terrible choices, you still feel for them. This is a movie that has some strange, extremely zany moments, but you can't help but to find them believable in this messed up world that Roger Avary builds so well.

James van der Beek is fantastic in the lead role, giving what could have easily been an annoying, tiresome character a real sense of loneliness, while Clifton Collins Jr. and Ian Somerhalder steal nearly every scene they have.

This is a strange, daring film that I really can't recommend enough, check it out.