REVIEW

Movie Review: The Rules of Attraction

Written by Michael Clayton
Published May 09, 2008
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The tone of the humor is another element that provided me with a great sense of enjoyment. The disturbing tone of the humor is one of the qualities that made Ellis' American Psycho such an enjoyable viewing experience, and while this film does not push the humor to that level, it still serves its comedic elements with a sharp edge. Undoubtedly one of my favorite performances in the film was the small role of the obnoxious gay friend of Victor, Richard Jared (Russell Sams). Though he is in the film for less than 15 minutes, he is absolutely hysterical in a small but effective role. I am rather saddened to see his screen credits are rather minor thus far, and I hope his talents will be utilized more in the near future.

With there were many virtues that I found during my viewing of this picture, there were also a number of facets of this film that I objected to. The prominent flaw that this film possessed was the simple fact that it had such a bold pedigree; the creators of this film, as previously mentioned, have made films that succeeded on a much greater level than this film. Though this film was hip and creative, I found Pulp Fiction to be much more accomplished on both counts. Though it was morbidly humorous and satirical, I believe American Psycho achieved both of these qualities much more effectively. Another quality that proved to be both a benefit and a detriment to the film was the creative way in which it was presented. While many of the techniques used achieved their desired effect admirably, some of them were more aggravating than impressive. The chief offender in this example can be found in the scene where the viewer is shown what Victor's activities have consisted of over the semester. It is shown in a flashback with the film sped up to a breakneck pace, which works briefly but ultimately runs far too long. It also seems that at times the film loses sight of what the driving plot of the film is, and though it maintained my interest, moments in the film were slightly convoluted.

While I expected more from this film, I still would not condemn the film to the realm of the unwatchable. The film had the dreadful misfortune of following much stronger efforts. And yet the film does have its merits, and they should be considered when viewing it. Some films aren't meant to be breathtaking; some are simply designed to provide an interesting way to spend an hour or two of one's life.

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Michael Clayton (no relation to the George Clooney film) has fed his obsession for films of all styles and genres since the first time he ever occupied a movie theater. His tastes include such cinematic greats as Kubrick, Scorsese, Hitchcock, Ford, Lang, and Kurosawa, and more recent talents such as Kevin Smith, Darren Aronofsky, Charlie Kaufman, and the collected releases of Pixar. He graduated with an English/Theatre degree from Charleston Southern University, and his collected writings can be viewed at The Critical Musings of Michael Clayton.
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Movie Review: The Rules of Attraction
Published: May 09, 2008
Type: Review
Section: Video
Filed Under: Video: Art House, Video: Comedy, Video: Romantic Comedies
Writer: Michael Clayton
Michael Clayton's BC Writer page
Michael Clayton's personal site
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