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Amazon.co.uk Review
Based on Bret Easton Ellis's often-overlooked second novel, The Rules of Attraction works better as a film than the disastrous Less Than Zero, though not as well as the canny American Psycho. Writer-director Roger Avary--who lets slip a nasty Quentin Tarantino reference that feels like sour grapes--can't quite decide whether to ditch the novel's extremely 1980s cultural references and make a contemporary-set picture or to evoke the period in which the book was written. Set on a small New England campus, the film offers a love triangle between "emotional vampire" Sean Bateman (James Van Der Beek), skateboarding "innocent" Lauren Hynde (Shannon Sossamyn) and gay libertine Paul Denton (Ian Somerhalder) that gets complicated by passing characters.
While not as hung up on time as Memento or Irreversible, the film does play its tricks, opening at an "end of the world party" to show its three leads at simultaneous low points, reversing to take stabs at each of them, then hopping back and forth in time as different narrators take over, with time-outs for a fast-forward tour of Europe by a minor character and a drug-dealing subplot to keep Avary's crime credentials in order. All in all it's a satirical piece that is removed from reality, always striking, sometimes funny or horrifying, but ultimately hard to connect with. --Kim Newman
Special Features
- Two audio commentaries featuring Ian Somerhalder, Shannyn Sossaman and Kip Pardue
- The Anatomy of a Scene (26 minute featurette)
- Theatrical TV and radio spots
- Trailers
DVD Technical Information:
- Language: English
- Subtitles: English, English SDH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Something completely different.....,
By A Customer
This review is from: Rules of Attraction [DVD] [2003] (DVD)
Film fans may already recognise Bret Easton Ellis as the man behind American Psycho. People expecting more of the same may find this film a little more restrained than his previous adaption but this doesn't reduce the impact of the film. Basically, it follows the various relationships and activities of several students on a college campus. Before you say "Oh no, not another American Pie", this film's humour is much darker and subtler in tone. The direction of the film is unusual as well, rather than just following a linear path, it jumps backwards and forwards, allowing you to see each characters (often very different) perspective on the action. Probably not the sort of film for anyone who wants a good post night-out comedy but an excellent drama with a black humour to it.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A GREAT BOOK BECOMES A GREAT MOVIE...,
By James King "babybearcub" (Glos, England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Rules of Attraction [DVD] [2003] (DVD)
First time I saw this movie I thought it was a load of rubbish. Then a year later, after spending some time living at York university I was stunned by how accurate the movie had been depicting college life on campus.
Having read the book as well now I really think its one of the most under valued films in American cinema. According to the BBFC website the British DVD is cut by one second during the suicide scene. But its only a fleeting shot, less than a second even, showing how a character slits their wrists, apparently the BBFC doesn't want us to know how to 'do it properly'. I bought a region one copy out of curiosity to and see what all the fuss was about, and let me tell you it makes no difference at all to the scene in question. However the region one version has been re-dited completey differently in other scenes to ensure an R rating, especially the notorious opening 'vomit/rape scene'! These edits completely destroy the shock value of these scenes and for that reason its well worth sticking to the region two version. (although if you are a massive fan like me it may well be worth owning both copies as the region one also contains an additional audio commentary). The movie itself is really fun, and Brett Easton Ellis' humour from the book really comes across well. Far better than American Psycho. And the I've seen the Victor section of the movie make many a jaw drop!!! 10 out of 10.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Refreshing and Brilliant,
By The Chief "Nodgy" (Yorkshire) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Rules of Attraction [DVD] (DVD)
This is such a great film, realistic, moving, gritty, quirky, tragic, funny and perfect execution by director Roger Avery. The reverse sequence is pure class and must have taken some putting together as is the 'holiday' sequence, not going to give too much away but this film is well worth watching again and again and again, 8.5 out of 10. NOTE: DO NOT buy the UK DVD as it's cut - the US Region 1 and all other European versions are intact.
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