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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Lions Gate
Salesrank: 16272
Released: February 18, 2003 |
| Our Price: $4.46 |
| Used Price: $1.20 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
TOTALLY SEXY FILM ABOUT A GROUP OF PAMPERED COLLEGE STUDENTSWHO PARTY WITHOUT END.
Description of The Rules of Attraction:
A not-quite dazzling array of cinematic tricks (split screens, freeze-frames, running the film backwards, rapid editing, etc.) are used to depict college students floundering in the pursuit of love and meaning. Drugs, blow jobs, pornography, booze, rape, masturbation, '80s pop tunes, beatings, suicide, attempted suicide, faked suicide, loss of bladder control, and trite pseudo-philosophy are on display as pretty young actors with squeaky-clean images (like James Van Der Beek and Jessica Biel) attempt to dirty themselves up. The Rules of Attraction comes to life for about five minutes when an actor named Russell Sams appears for an outrageous restaurant scene, then slumps back into terminal disaffection when he departs. Also featuring Shannyn Sossamon, Faye Dunaway, Swoozie Kurtz, Ian Somerhalder, Kate Bosworth, Eric Stolz, Fred Savage, and many strikingly good-looking young people. The filmmakers are attempting to depict the vacuousness of today's youth but only succeed in portraying the void in their own hearts. --Bret Fetzer
The Rules of Attraction Reviews:
DVD purchase 
2009-10-08 - I recieved the dvd in excellent condition, very fast time from order to my door and would definately do business again.
Rules of Attraction
2009-02-04 - Rules of Attraction that I ordered was delivered in good time. It is in good physical condition. I haven't yet viewed it so I can't speak of the DVD itself. I am happy with this purchase!
Tries to hard... 
2009-02-02 - This movie tries too hard to be negative, empty, and depressing. The movie tried to shock its viewers, but it came across as freshman-year college film class "dark." I was very disappointed.
Great movie
2008-10-09 - Interesting look at college-life from the perspective of a few hedonistic students. The book is way better.
The ultimate film about college life
2008-05-11 - I just watched this movie, and I have to say that I really, really liked it, although I can understand why others don't. This is a cult film, to be sure, and it requires a certain sensibility to see through to the end--the film's blunt force trauma approach to Gen Y college kids will leave lots of viewers cold, unable to muster any feeling for the film's characters. But others will enjoy the comedy of it all. For me, the movie clicked from the very first scene. I totally got what was going on and what the filmmakers were trying to say because of my own college experiences. I knew all these bastards, and I appreciated that they weren't really that sympathetic. This movie really is the definitive movie about the most prevalent form of college life that on sees today, so much so that there seems no point of ever making another.
All of this is not to say that the film is perfect, even if you share the film's sensibility. All of the scenes featuring Sean (James Van Der Beek) interacting with the drug dealer were a real drag on the movie. The actor who played the latter evidently never learned that good acting doesn't necessarily mean MORE acting. And although Van Der Beek does a surprisingly good job as Sean Bateman (my expectations were, to put it kindly, low) there are a few uneven moments. Generally, though, the acting is pretty good, and the movie is a technical marvel.
If you're not convinced so far, here are five of my favorite moments from the film. If you like them, consider watching it.
1. Sean has lost a chance at being with the woman he has convinced himself he's in love with, so he decides to kill himself. First, he tries to hang himself with a phone cord. The light fixture can't hold his weight, so he falls to the ground. Then he tries to slash his wrists with a razor, but it's a face shaver and he is again unsuccessful. Finally, he tries to overdose on pills, but all he has are what appear to be cold pills, which he takes a bunch of and chases with off-brand NyQuil. It's a pretty funny take on emo-style hysterics.
2. Sean (Ian Somerhalder of LOST) is late to meet Sean for dinner when one of his friends overdoses. He's completely nonplussed as they drive to the hospital, dismissing the crisis by saying things like, "Freshmen don't OD." He doesn't even bother to conceal his boredom when the guy seems to die (but doesn't).
3. "I only did it with her because I'm in love with you." Sure...
4. The restaurant scene. "Well, Richard..." "I'm DICK!" "Well, Dick, what are you studying?" Much of the rest of the dialogue is unprintable. The scene is the key to the entire movie: entitlement, resentment of authority, lack of control--it's all there. And hilarious.
5. The scene where Sean's secret admirer (who we had seen several times before) commits suicide. In between all the irony and sleaze, it's a genuinely beautiful and sad moment.
The Rules of Attraction is more than the sum of its parts, though. It makes an effective brief for what its subject group is like, and it does not exactly let them off the hook when it comes to moral terms. It is not, of course, for everyone, but if you're still reading this it might be worth a viewing.
P. S. Van Der Beek also punches Jessica Biel in the face. So, there's that.
