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Diversions
‘Rules’ walks dangerous line
By John Behling
Published:
Monday, October 14, 2002
Media Credit: LYNN ALSTON/LIONS GATE FILMS
Ian Somerhalder stars in Lions Gate Films´ "Rules of Attraction.” The film is now showing at the Parkwood 18 theater.
It’s safe to say that there really is no way that I can spoil this movie for viewers who read this article. Most of the events that happen can’t be printed in a public newspaper.
“The Rules of Attraction,” starring James Van Der Beek of “Dawson’s Creek” and Jessica Biel of “Seventh Heaven,” takes place in a very twisted satirical reality.
The film focuses on a love triangle between students Sean, (Van Der Beek), Paul (Ian Somerhalder), and Lauren (Shannon Sossamon).
Sean loves Lauren, Lauren loves someone else, Paul loves Sean, and it gets more complicated. Each of the three truly believes that the other reciprocates these feelings.
Sean mistakes Lauren for the obsessed girl who’s leaving desperate love letters in his mail slot, Paul misinterprets a garbled conversation with Sean at a party, Lauren is fascinated with Victor, her ex-boyfriend who is bouncing across Europe and who doesn’t remember her at all.
This struggle is set against the background of a typical university, or what a typical university would be like in Hollywood.
Sean, Paul and Lauren move from between pre-Saturday night parties to Saturday night parties, to dressed-to-get- screwed parties, habitually stalking prospective partners. Inside Sean’s head we hear his voice describing himself as a vampire searching for the next victim, looking for someone with real emotions.
They drink whiskey like it’s water, snort mountains of cocaine, and treat life in a way so emotionless and casual that it would make any hardened nihilist crack a smile.
The trick of “Rules of Attraction” is that it somehow makes you feel for Sean, Lauren and Paul, and believe in their unrequited love for each other.
As bizarre as that seems, this does happen through the course of several attempted suicides, one real suicide, a botched drug deal, and a videotaped rape.
The other amazing thing about “Rules of Attraction” is that it’s funny. In fact, it’s hilarious.
Dangerously walking the line between funny and disgusting (and crossing over to either side multiple times). “Rules” strikes that equilibrium between the two that puts it in the ranks of other successful dark comedies (see “American Psycho”).
The third and arguably most amazing thing about “Rules of Attraction” is James Van Der Beek. I’m shocked as much as you are that Dawson can seriously act.
Sean is the crux of “Rules of Attraction” and his performance sets the mood for the entire film: malevolent, unemotional, morally vacant, and still helplessly in love.
Sossoman, Biel, and Somerhalder all contributed great performances, rounding out a Hollywood-beautiful college roster. For an account of the college life that I can’t fully describe in this article, and for the sake of good taste, you can see “The Rules of Attraction” playing at the Parkwood 18 theater.
