Directed by Roger Avary
Novel by Bret Easton Ellis
Screenplay by Roger Avary

James Van Der Beek .... Sean Bateman
Shannyn Sossamon .... Lauren Hynde
Jessica Biel .... Lara Holleran
Kate Bosworth .... Kelly
Clifton Collins Jr. .... Rupert Guest
Eric Stoltz .... Mr. Lance Lawson
Fred Savage .... A Junkie Named Marc
Clare Kramer .... Candice
Thomas Ian Nicholas .... Mitchell Allen
Faye Dunaway .... Mrs. Eve Denton
Kip Pardue .... Victor Johnson
Ian Somerhalder .... Paul Denton

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

MPAA: Rated R for strong sexual content, drug use, language and violent images.
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM, and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG

The film begins (at the ending actually) at The End of the World Party with one character narrating her experience. The film then reverses before our eyes and we learn the perspective of the next character/narrator. This use of multiple first person narratives allows the filmmakers to give a broader view of all of the characters perspectives and shows that they share similar struggles at the same time.

We first meet Lauren (Shannyn Sossamon) who introduces us to the self-serving ways of the characters in the film. She is interested in Viktor (Kip Pardue) who really isn't interested in anyone, but only in fulfilling his own impulsive desires (a major theme throughout the film). When it comes to relationships we often romanticize the idea of someone rather than looking at them objectively. Lauren looks at pictures of STDs to stave off her desire to lose her virginity. We are next introduced to Paul (Ian Somerhalder) who gives us a little more insight into the mindset of the characters. Sometimes I feel my life lacks forward momentum. Like everything is moving by so quickly that time just seems to stop. He also talks about manifest destiny and how luck has nothing to do with anything. Paul is interested in Sean (James Van Der Beek) who is interested in Lauren. Sean's voice over describes himself as an emotional vampire and that he feeds off of other people's real emotions . Sean also addresses the issue of having a romanticized idea about a person by saying about the possible outcome of sleeping with Lauren -- It would just ruin my illusion of her innocence, her purity. We get the feeling all the characters have similar doubts, fears, and misconceptions. They are searching

Some notes: The Rules of Attraction is based on a Brett Easton Ellis novel and was adapted and directed by Roger Avery. Music is a large part of the film as well and you may want to turn on the subtitles if watching the DVD to view the lyrics. Incidentally one of the songs is by a group called The Rapture.

Often there seems to be no steadfast rules to our attractions, however we need to keep our attractions in check because they can lead us down the wrong path. The Rules of Attraction is set on the East Coast at a small, private, liberal arts college in the early to mid 90s. From a spiritual perspective it s about how scattered and unfocused life can become when it s self-centered and not God-centered and where that self-centeredness eventually leads. As the film moves forward it's apparent most of the characters come from upper-middle class families and never had to go without -- for them college wasn't a choice, but expected of them. They can no longer hold on to the hope that wealth solely can make a person happy and give their life meaning. College can be a time of discovery and disillusionment. I think many of us have asked ourselves the questions: Who am I?, What is my path in life?, What is this crazy world all about? As screenwriter/director Avery states, You're out of the house. You're out on your own. And all of a sudden you re free. And literally, all is possible. It's about wanting to find a connection with others, but being unable to do so. From time to time we put things between ourselves and God that disrupt the spiritual connection -- the same can be said for our human relationships.

Avery uses various visual techniques in the film to show we are all on different paths simultaneously and how people s persfor meaning and essentially need the same things spiritually speaking -- don't we all? God made us each different for a reason, but at our core being we need the same things.

There is a key scene where Avery uses a split screen of Sean and Lauren talking face to face in a campus building hallway. The cameras pull away and the screens merge into one with both characters on the full screen in a side shot. There is a poster in the background when this occurs asking the question WHERE DO YOU FIT IN? This is the only scene where the characters genuinely seem to share a moment together without ulterior motives. Avery says, In a world of disconnection, I wanted to visually illustrate connection. This prompts Sean to get a glimpse that a deeper connection IS possible. At the end of the film, I sensed Sean may be ready to leave the past behind, move on, and search his soul. We re left with the feeling that the characters have gained some knowledge about themselves and the emptiness of their actions -- a glimmer of hope. The film ends abruptly, almost Rapture-like.

The Rules of Attraction moves in time from early autumn to the dead of winter -- showing where all our misguided actions will take us over time. It is graphic in nature with sex, nudity, drinking, drugs, and language, but does not glorify any of them in the least. In one scene Sean takes a girl home and we hear his voice over during the encounter -- something was wrong, something was missing, he didn't know what. The film shows all the places we turn when we can't find a connection -- emotionless and disconnected sex, drugs, drinking. Christ is waiting for us to turn to him in spirit and will be there when we do. Just maybe God is coordinating all the events of our lives to get our attention, share His light, and give us peace. If we connect to the source of true life, it makes all other connections possible and more manageable -- we can have relationships of depth. Many of our actions are a function of trying to fit in someway, somehow, somewhere. Is religion our God or do we have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ? One that transcends the church meetings, going to church each week, and putting in face time? Have we felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit?

In a world that often judges by race, sex, socio-economic class, appearance, and the like -- there is one place where we all fit in regardless and can find refuge. I once heard somewhere that God doesn't so much want to teach us things, but rather help us unlearn the things the world has wrongly taught us. We are not what we drive, what we do for a living, what we wear, who we know, how big our home is -- rather an eternal soul loved equally and endlessly by the Lord. And in that we can find absolute peace and freedom of spirit.

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