The Rules of Attraction (2002)

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.

Director:

Roger Avary

Writers:

Bret Easton Ellis (novel), Roger Avary (screenplay)

Stars:

James Van Der Beek, Ian Somerhalder, Shannyn Sossamon

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Camden College. Sean Bateman is the younger brother of depraved Wall Street broker Patrick Bateman. He's also a drug dealer who owes a lot of money to "fellow" dealer Rupert Guest, as well as a well-known womanizer, for he sleeps with nearly half of the female population on campus. Lauren Hynde is, technically, a virgin. She's saving herself for her shallow boyfriend, Victor Johnson, who's left the States to backpack across Europe. Her slutty roommate, Lara, has the hots for Victor as well. Paul Denton, who used to date Lauren, is openly bisexual and attracted to Mitchell Allen, who's dating Candice to prove to Paul that he's not gay. Sean loves Lauren. Paul loves Sean. And Lauren may love Sean.

---

Plot Keywords:

talking about sex | dancing in underwear | sex scene | sexual pleasure | lesbian | 

---

Taglines:

We all run on instinct.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, drug use, language and violent images

Details

Official Sites:

Former Official site for the film - site no longer active. [France] Official Director's site for the film. [United States]

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

11 October 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pravila privlačnosti

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,532,410, 13 October 2002, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$6,532,619, 21 November 2002

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,805,917, 21 November 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kingsgate Films, Roger Avary Filmproduktion GmbH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Roger Avary called the Paul Denton character the moral center of the film. "Where is Paul at the end of the film? He's had his heart cleaved in two, but he seems to be a humanist at the end... a realist... Not bitter, but sad. Will he be realistic and not self-deluding in his future pursuits of passion? Do any of us?"

---

Goofs

When Paul leaves his dorm room to take Harry to the hospital he leaves his leather jacket on his door. Upon reaching the hospital he has the jacket on.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Lauren: and 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.

---

Crazy Credits

The credits run backwards, starting with the disclaimer ("Any similarity to persons living or dead...") and rolling upwards to end with the cast.

---

Alternate Versions

Australian releases of the film are uncut and retain the 22 seconds that were cut to receive an R rating in the US.

---

Connections

References Lolita (1962)

---

Soundtracks

Out of the Races and on to the Tracks
Performed by The Rapture
Written by Vito Roccoforte, Luke Jenner and Matt Safer
Published by Hung Up on a Dream/And Your Bird Can Sing Music/Le Sound Albert (SESAC)
Courtesy of Sub Pop Records

User Reviews

Get over yourself.

Avary's whole point of this movie is simple: the society is numb. And he does it so perfectly that movie-goers looking for intense action or tears or giggles feel just as numb as the players. The director has done an excellent job here. The characters are without feeling. A rape, a suicide, homosexuality and philandering are all homogenous because this particular society (thank God my college years were not like that)is rapt with the self. That's the whole point. Nobody notices anything because the director wants you to feel the apathy. You may feel bored, but so are all the characters. However, they're bored enough to do really, really unbelievable things without a flinch or the bat of a lash. Like it or not, the duty of a director is to make you feel what he wants you to feel. Avary is fleet, decisive and deadly with his arrow (a Cupid for me). I don't see movies because I have nothing else to do. I want to experience a vision that is not mine. A new one. This movie is fast, it's hot and, like Pulp Fiction in its time, a totally new way to tell a story. I saw it four times and each time, I released the $8.00 freely. Transparently, it's not everybody's movie. But, people should see a movie because it's a movie and not because it's something comfortable or familiar or a blockbuster Hollywood coup. Life's a tough lot, often unforgiving and unfair. There are jerks out there, thank God, who make stuff interesting. I applaud the director always who can put that in my face. Avary simply explains how fortuitous most of us are. It'll be on my DVD shelf, trust.