The Rules of Attraction (2002)

Director:

Roger Avary

Writers (WGA):

Bret Easton Ellis (novel)
Roger Avary (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 October 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

There Are No Rules

Plot:

The incredibly spoiled and overprivileged students of Camden College are a backdrop for an unusual love triangle between a drug dealer, a virgin and a bisexual classmate.

Plot Keywords:

College | Drugs | Bisexual | Drug Dealer | Roommate

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

James Van Der Beek	...	Sean Bateman
Shannyn Sossamon	...	Lauren Hynde
Jessica Biel	...	Lara
Kip Pardue	...	Victor
Kate Bosworth	...	Kelly
Ian Somerhalder	...	Paul Denton
Joel Michaely	...	Raymond
Jay Baruchel	...	Harry
Thomas Ian Nicholas	...	Mitchell
Clifton Collins Jr.	...	Rupert
Clare Kramer	...	Candice
Faye Dunaway	...	Mrs. Denton
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Mrs. Jared
Russell Sams	...	Richard
Colin Bain	...	Donald
Eric Stoltz	...	Mr. Lawson
Fred Savage	...	A Junkie Named Marc
Eric Szmanda	...	NYU Film Student
Kavan Reece	...	Handsome Dunce
Theresa Wayman	...	Food Service Girl
Paul Williams	...	Duty Doctor
Skyler Stone	...	Quinlivan
Quincy Evans	...	Dicky
Lucille M. Oliver	...	Young Nurse
Anderson Goncalves	...	Bertrand
Drew Wood	...	Jim from Dartmouth
Curtis Andersen	...	Guy Rolling Keg (as Curtis Anderson)
Chasen Hampton	...	Townie
Malcolm Galt	...	Hacky Sack Guy
Noelle Evans	...	Crack Whore
Michael Ralph	...	Guest
Cheyenne Wilbur	...	Maitre D'
Ron Jeremy	...	At the Player Piano (as Ron Jeremy Hyatt)
Holly Hollywood	...	Undressed to Get Screwed
Amber Smith	...	Undressed to Get Screwed
Alaina	...	Undressed to Get Screwed
Trisha Uptown	...	Undressed to Get Screwed
Hayley Keenan	...	Claudia
Ninni Fires	...	in London
Emily Kennedy	...	In London
Zanna Lyberg	...	in London
Melvyn	...	in London
Maya Albina Morella	...	in London
Shirell Orsler	...	in London
Kate Verity Wilson	...	in London
Angharad Wood	...	In London
Jasmyn Androna	...	in Amsterdam
J. Bahle	...	in Amsterdam
Jan Carlos Byl	...	in Amsterdam
Jeff Espanol	...	In Amsterdam
Emilie Milders	...	in Amsterdam
Julie Milders	...	in Amsterdam
Katja Schuurman	...	In Amsterdam (as K. Schurman)
Briony Shackell	...	In Amsterdam (as Bryony Shackell)
Mascha De Wajer	...	in Amsterdam
Jim Zalm	...	in Amsterdam
Eva Alter	...	in Paris
Kristina Kumlin	...	In Paris
Corina Marinescu	...	In Paris
Honor Fitzgerald	...	in Dublin
Melanie Hoar	...	in Dublin
Pappy Lloyd	...	in Dublin
Cha Cha Singh	...	in Dublin
Jennifer Maitland	...	in Barcelona
Charly Sessner	...	in Barcelona
Jennifer Shea	...	in Barcelona
Audrey Pawl	...	in Barcelona
Wayne Perry	...	in Cadaques
Angela Antonini	...	in Venice and Florence
Piero Antonini	...	in Venice and Florence
Sarah Schmidt	...	in Venice and Florence
Valentina Anastasio	...	in Rome
Francesca Cogodoa	...	in Rome
James Paci	...	in Rome
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charlie Babcock	...	Party Guy (uncredited)
Candice Bryant	...	Girl at Keg (uncredited)
Giovanni Capitello	...	College Student (uncredited)
C. Robert Cargill	...	Bus Station Townie (uncredited)
Cory Elgin	...	Student (uncredited)
Cris Gurtman	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Jesse Heiman	...	Lucky Party Goer (uncredited)
Tara Kleinpeter	...	Sorority Girl (uncredited)
Alexis Krause	...	Student (uncredited)
Matthew Lang	...	Getch (uncredited)
Paul Oakenfold	...	Himself (uncredited)
Stevo Polyi	...	Bong-Boy (uncredited)
Tommy Ritter	...	The Keg Guy (uncredited)
Adam Robitel	...	Dumb Guy From LA (uncredited)
Saskia Slaaf	...	Dutch Model (uncredited)
Aurora Snow	...	Masked Naked Girl at Party (uncredited)
Brian Villarante	...	Diner Patron (uncredited)
Rowland Wafford	...	Man with Bong on Rupert's Couch (uncredited)
Keren Woodward	...	Herself (uncredited)

Directed by
Roger Avary

Writing credits (WGA)
Bret Easton Ellis		(novel "The Rules of Attraction")
Roger Avary		(screenplay)

Produced by
Roger Avary	....	executive producer
Marc Butan	....	executive producer
James Deutch	....	executive producer
Samuel Hadida	....	executive producer
Marsha Oglesby	....	executive producer
Tom Ortenberg	....	executive producer
Michael Paseornek	....	executive producer
Jeremiah Samuels	....	executive producer
Greg Shapiro	....	producer

Original Music by
tomandandy

Cinematography by
Robert Brinkmann

Film Editing by
Sharon Rutter

Casting by
Rick Montgomery

Production Design by
Sharon Seymour

Art Direction by
Christopher Tandon

Set Decoration by
Teresa Visinare

Costume Design by
Louise Frogley

Makeup Department
Trish Almeida	....	key hair stylist
Sharisse Fine	....	hair stylist (as Sharisse)
Amy Harmon	....	makeup artist
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects artist (as Greg Nicatero)
Carol Strong	....	key makeup artist
Jake Garber	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Silvia Leczel	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Michael P. Flannigan	....	production supervisor
Curtis A. Miller	....	production manager: Lions Gate Films
Carl Pedregal	....	post-production supervisor
Jeremiah Samuels	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Paul Clark	....	first assistant director
Dawn Massaro	....	second assistant director
Harry Ralston	....	second unit director
Mollie Stallman	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Nelson Bush	....	set dresser
Marc Martin Del Campo	....	set dresser (as Mark Martin Del Campo)
Rick Heyer	....	on-set dresser (as Rik Heyer)
Teresa Holmes	....	stand-by painter
Robert Lucas	....	leadman
Cynthia Martinez	....	greensman
Michael O'Donnell	....	set dresser
Victor Petrota	....	assistant property master (as Victor Petrotta)
William A. Petrotta	....	property master (as William Petrotta)
Joy Taylor	....	set dresser
John Michael Tillotson	....	set dresser (as John Tillotson)
Greg Wilkinson	....	leadman (as Gregory J. Wilkinson)
Christina Ann Wilson	....	set designer (as Christina Wilson)

Sound Department
Brian Basham	....	adr recordist
Tim Boland	....	sound mixer
Felipe Borrero	....	sound mixer
Lance Brown	....	sound re-recording mixer
J. Aloysius Flanagan III	....	sound re-recordist
Nerses Gezalyan	....	sound mixer
Michael Kamper	....	sound designer
Adam McDaniel	....	additional sound
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising sound designer
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising sound editor
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Unsun Song	....	sound recordist
Aaron Wilcox	....	facilities management
Aaron Wilcox	....	re-recording projectionist
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Greg Zimmerman	....	foley recordist

Special Effects by
Ron Bolanowski	....	special effects coordinator
Michael Duenas	....	special effects
Garth Majors	....	special effects
Harry Smith	....	special effects
Mario Vanillo	....	special effects
Leonel Zapien	....	special effects
Chiz Hasegawa	....	project coordinator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Danny Albano	....	digital artist
Gretchen Avary	....	positive visualization
Victor DiMichina	....	digital imaging supervisor
Tyler Foell	....	2D supervisor
Kevin Kipper	....	digital artist
John R. McConnell	....	compositor: Pixel magic
Ray McIntyre Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor
Brad Moylan	....	digital compositor: Pixel Magic
Patrick Murphy	....	digital compositor: Pixel Magic
Reid Paul	....	digital effects supervisor
Alfredo Ramirez	....	digital compositor
Alfredo Ramirez	....	digital effects compositor: Pixel Magic (uncredited)

Stunts
Keith Adams	....	stunt coordinator (as Keith W. Adams)
Richard Burden	....	stunt rigger
Danny Downey	....	stunt double: Ian Somerhalder
Michael Gaines	....	stunt double
Chris Nielsen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Lynn Alston	....	still photographer
Michael Anderson	....	electrician (as Mike Anderson)
Paul Bode	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Douglas Busby	....	additional second assistant camera
Cynthia Bystrak	....	best boy grip
Jacqui Compton	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Jacqui Compton-Jensen)
Harris Done	....	camera operator: second unit
Erik Folsom	....	best boy electric
Steve Galloway	....	video playback
William H. Hobson	....	dolly grip (as Bill Hobson)
Michael Hoffer	....	key grip (as Mike Hoffer)
Steve Irwin	....	24 frame video playback operator: Playback Technologies
Simon Jayes	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Keith A. Jones	....	second assistant camera
Ryotaro Kinno	....	loader
Rick Lamb	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Eric Leach	....	company grip
Tom Lembcke	....	company grip
Victor Major	....	electrician (as Victor G. Major)
Daniel P. Moore	....	video assist operator
Reinhart 'Rayteam' Peschke	....	chief lighting technician (as Raymond Peschke)
Craig Price	....	grip
Dee Austin Robertson	....	video assist operator
Pablo Santiago-Brandwein	....	company grip (as Pablo Santiago)
Michael Scott	....	camera operator
Eric Smith	....	electrician
Scott Sprague	....	electrician
Thomas Vandermillen	....	first assistant camera
Niel Williams	....	company grip (as Neil Williams)

Casting Department
James Taveras	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jill Korengold	....	set costumer
Riki Lin Sabusawa	....	costume supervisor (as Riki Sabusawa)
Lizz Wolf	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Roger Avary	....	montage
Richard Flores Jr.	....	telecine colorist
Frank Moshier	....	post-production coordinator
Timothy Serda	....	technical assistant editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer

Music Department
Roger Avary	....	song wrangler
Tim Boland	....	mix engineer
Brian Bulman	....	music editor: temp music
Andrew Grush	....	musician (as John Andrew Grush)
Andrew Grush	....	singer (as John Andrew Grush)
Tom Hajdu	....	singer
Taylor Haskins	....	musician
Joel C. High	....	music supervisor
Lorelle Holway	....	singer
Ed Ma	....	musician
Ed Ma	....	singer
Leandro Maciel	....	mix engineer
Leandro Maciel	....	musician
Jason Menkes	....	singer
Tom Meredith	....	musician
Andy Milburn	....	singer
Dan Rabinovich	....	musician
George Ramirez	....	musician
Tiffany Ryan	....	assistant to music supervisor
Andrew Scheps	....	mix engineer
Evan Smith	....	singer
Adam Steiglitz	....	musician
Debbie Tassone	....	singer
Colette Thompson	....	singer
Stephanie Lynn Urcheck	....	music coordinator
Scott Williams	....	singer

Transportation Department
Joe Devane	....	driver
Bruce Hauer	....	driver
William Charles Hauer	....	driver (as William C. Hauer)
Steve Humphrey	....	transportation coordinator
Steven Hunter	....	driver (as Steve Hunter)
Dennis Jorgenson	....	driver
Danny Routhicaux	....	driver (as Daniel Routhieaux)
Danny Rowe	....	transportation captain (as Danny S. Rowe Sr.)
Dusty Saunders	....	transportation consultant
Vincent Talamantes	....	driver
Fred C. Tepstein	....	driver (as Frede Tepstein)
James E. Vargas	....	driver
Ted Visser	....	driver
Daniel Davis	....	driver: base camp generator (uncredited)

Other crew
Emily Aaronson	....	production assistant
Gala Avary	....	assistant: Mr. Avary
Ever Avery	....	diversion
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Nicholas Brandt	....	production assistant (as Nick Brandt)
Jake Donohoe	....	post-production accountant
Tau Flagg	....	production assistant
Christopher K. Grap	....	assistant production coordinator
Doris Hellmann	....	production accountant
Matthew Hirsch	....	production coordinator
Michael Judd	....	production assistant
Michael J. Kelly	....	assistant location manager
Jeff Lane	....	production assistant
Rosemary Lara	....	assistant: Mr. Paseornek
Danny Lee	....	business affairs coordinator
Wayne Levin	....	head of business/legal affairs: Lions Gate
Amy Lloyd	....	production assistant
Kelly Lofstrom	....	business and legal affairs assistant
Daniel MacArthur	....	production assistant: Lions Gate
Robert Mazaraki	....	assistant production coordinator (as Robert Newlin-Mazaraki)
Robert M. Melnik	....	senior vice president of business affairs: Lions Gate Films
Itay Mevorakh	....	production assistant
Ryan Miningham	....	production assistant
Meredith Morton	....	assistant: Mr. Shapiro
Scott Peterson	....	script supervisor
Udo Pfeiffer	....	intern
Emily Rice	....	post-production accountant
Sol Rivera	....	craft service
Lee Robertson	....	production assistant
Caroline Rutter	....	production assistant
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Lisa G. Shillingburg	....	first assistant accountant
Michael Singer	....	unit publicist
Donna Sloan	....	vice president of production: Lions Gate
John Starr	....	craft service
David Thornsberry	....	location manager
Jenna Kaye Thornsberry	....	assistant production coordinator
Scott Tuft	....	production assistant
Angelo Vacco	....	voice actor
Anthony Woods	....	set medic

Thanks
Bruce Campbell	....	special thanks
Don Coscarelli	....	special thanks
Ron Jeremy	....	special thanks (as Ron Jeremy Hyatt)

Production Companies

• Kingsgate Films
• Roger Avary Filmproduktion GmbH

Distributors

• Lions Gate Films (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (video)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Eagle Pictures (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Icon Film Distribution (2002) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Central Partnership (Russia)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD) (retail)
• Eagle Films (2002) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• EuroVideo (2003) (Germany) (DVD) (rental)
• GAGA (2002) (Japan) (all media)
• Hollydan Works (2003) (Serbia and Montenegro) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2003) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2003) (Romania) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Pixel Magic

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Digital Film Tree  post consulting and integration
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity
• Lionsgate Records  soundtrack
• NovaStar Digital  sound post-production

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, drug use, language and violent images (edited for re-rating)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Brazil:18 | Canada:18A | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) (certificate #39352) | Mexico:C | UK:18 (cut) | South Korea:18 | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Kingsgate Films

Trivia:

Credits are rolled backwards.

Goofs:

Continuity: Sean's "secret admirer" takes each of the rings off her fingers and lays them on the side of the bathtub. When she turns on the bath water, the shot of her hand shows one of the rings still on.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lauren:It's a story that might bore you, but you don't have to listen, because I always knew it was going to be like that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

Soundtrack:

The Gentleman Who Fell

fascinating and disturbing

I rented this movie not really knowing what to expect, but having heard a lot about it figured it would be worth checking out. And I was blown away. First of all, who knew Dawson (er, James Van Der Beek) could act so well? I remember hearing part of the reason he took this role was specifically to get away from the good-boy image he'd developed from Dawson's Creek, and he did so beautifully. He was barely recognizable. I was very, very impressed by his performance.

The movie itself was chilling - it reminded me quite a lot of Kids, but I found it slightly more relevant; that is to say, I have a feeling this movie reflects the real lives of more people than Kids did. I happened to go to a school a lot like Camden College; we even had an annual party almost exactly like the "dress to have sex" party shown here. So although I didn't participate much in that social scene, I was definitely exposed to it frequently and I can say that this movie is frighteningly based in reality. It struck very close to home.

So, overall, although I can't say I actually enjoyed it, I thought it was extremely well-done and incredibly true to life. I'm not sure I want to see it again, but it's definitely worth seeing at least once.