Review of The Rules of Attraction (2002) by Christopher J — 11 Aug 2009

Wow, it's like Closer on acid! Fantabulous!

I though this was excellent - almost perfect aside from the drug dealer storyline (yawn), some slow bits towards the beginning and the line Lauren utters towards the end about how love isn't for "their type of people", which spoiled the whole thing for me. If it's that pre-determined then why are you getting so cut up about failed crushes and relationships? It was a quasi-emo moment the film could have done without!

I thought the leads were all excellent (although I am SO SURE Lauren is Milly from This Life. Are they sisters or what?), although James Van Der Beek was slightly too into his role at some points, where all he seemed to do was sneer menancingly and resemble a devilish bull. Ian Somerhalder is the most hilarious gay I've ever seen on the screen! The part where they jump and dance about to George Michael's Faith on the bed in their pants is a right hoot! Some scenes were actually quite disturbing (especially the beginning) and some were just OTT absurdity - I think it was a really good Brett Easton Ellis adaptation.

Of course, the essence of the film is all about the amazing camera work. They picked some really clever hypnotising shots throughout the film, and I loved the rewinding to play into someone else's storyline device - it made everything seem so faceachingly cool.

A deserved cult hit, that's just a bit too shallow and melodramatic to leave you feeling as freaked out as you should!