Review of The Rules of Attraction (2002) by Andrew D — 17 Oct 2009

I was not impressed the first time I saw it. I thought it was indulgent, tried too hard, and that James Van Der Beek was miscast. I appreciate it more on the second viewing. I still think the direction is pretentious and indulgent, but James Van Der Beek is excellent for the role and is very convincing and the writing by Bret Easton Ellis and Roger Avary is smart and insightful. The characters, in Bret Easton Ellis fashion, are narcissistic, self-centered, amoral sociopaths that are looking for something more to life. It's funny and very dark. The cinematography is clever and stylish. The sound/soundtrack/score is excellent. Towards the end it starts to feel like a soap opera, but it's still heartbreaking and depressing.

7.5/10.