The Rules of Attraction [Blu-ray]

Director: Roger Avary Roger Avary

Overview

Bret Easton Ellis' controversial novel about the sexual, emotional, and chemical interactions of a group of wealthy and amoral college students is brought to the screen in this adaptation from writer and director Roger Avery. Sean Bateman (James Van Der Beek) is a student at Camden College, a well-respected private school on the East Coast. Sean is attracted to Lauren Hynde (Shannyn Sossamon), a high minded and seemingly unapproachable coed, while Lauren is infatuated with Victor (Kip Pardue), a handsome but self-centered ladies' man. Lauren's empty-headed roommate, Lara (Jessica Biel), is also attracted to Victor, while he has no qualms about being involved with both. Lauren used to date affected snob Paul Denton (Ian Somerhalder), but Paul, a bisexual, currently lusts after Sean. Meanwhile, friendly campus drug dealer Rupert (Clifton Collins Jr.) finds a ready market for cocaine among his classmates; Sean, a steady customer, finds himself financially embarrassed and begins dealing drugs to help pay off his debts, while leading Paul on for his ready supply of marijuana. The Rules of Attraction also features Eric Stoltz as Mr. Lance Lawson, Faye Dunaway and Swoosie Kurtz as semi-concerned parents, and Fred Savage as one of Sean's customers.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/05/2011
UPC:	0031398133605
Original Release:	2002
Rating:	NR
Source:	LIONSGATE - 600000-AEC LGE
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Language:	English
Time:	1:50:00
Sales rank:	5,520

Special Features

Five "Revolving Door" commentary tracks by the cast and crew; Bonus commentary by mystery guest!; Trailers & promos

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

James Van Der Beek	Sean Bateman
Shannyn Sossamon	Lauren Hynde
Jessica Biel	Lara Holleran
Ian Somerhalder	Paul Denton
Kate Bosworth	Kelly
Fred Savage	Marc
Eric Szmanda	NYU Film Student
Kip Pardue	Victor Johnson
Clifton Collins Jr.	Rupert Guest
Thomas Ian Nicholas	Mitchell Allen
Eric Stoltz	Mr. Lance Lawson
Faye Dunaway	Eve Denton
Joel Michaely	Raymond
Ron Jeremy	Actor
Clare Kramer	Candice
Curtis Anderson	Guy Rolling Keg
Chase Hampton	Townie
Swoosie Kurtz	Mrs. Jared
Jay Baruchel	Harry
Quincey Evans	Dicky
Russell Sams	Dick
Colin Bain	Donald
Chasen Hampton	Townie
Theresa Wayman	Food Service Girl
Skyler Stone	Quinlivan
Noelle Evans	Crack Whore
Quincy Jones	Dicky
Kavan Reece	Handsome Dunce
Hayley Keenan	Claudia
Adam Brody	Tim
Michael Ralph	Jamaican Guest
Anderson Goncalves	Bertrand
Malcolm Galt	Hacky Sack Guy
Cheyenne Wilbur	Maitre d'
Mathew Lang	Getch
Paul Williams	Duty Doctor
Lucille M. Oliver	Young Nurse
Ron Jeremy Hyatt	At the Player Piano
Drew Wood	Jim from Dartmouth
Holly Hollywood	Undressed to Get Screwed
Amber Smith	Undressed to Get Screwed
Alaina	Undressed to Get Screwed
Trisha Upton	Undressed to Get Screwed
Curtis Andersen	Actor

Technical Credits

Roger Avary

Roger Avary	Director,Screenwriter,Producer
Keith Adams	Stunts
Ron Bolanowski	Special Effects
Raymond McIntyre Jr.	Special Effects
Rick Montgomery	Casting
Jeremiah Samuels	Executive Producer,Producer
Greg Shapiro	Producer
Michael Paseornek	Producer
Marc Butan	Producer
Tom Ortenberg	Producer
Samuel Hadida	Producer
James Deutch	Producer,Executive Producer
Marsha Oglesby	Producer
Mario Vanillo	Special Effects
Michael Kamper	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Based on a novel by Less than Zero author Bret Easton Ellis, this skillfully made drama pulls off the neat trick of making its viewers care about self-absorbed young people whose behavior borders on the reprehensible. It’s not easy to work up much enthusiasm for shallow, selfish, and greedy college kids, but writer-director Roger Avary (Killing Zoe) enables us to do so by virtue of his compelling narrative. Rules primarily concerns itself with the interaction of four people. To begin with, there’s slick young drug dealer Sean (James Van Der Beek), who desperately wants to bed chic coed Lauren (Shannyn Sossamon), who once dated Paul (Ian Somerhalder), a bisexual who once dated Victor (Kip Pardue), another bisexual who would like to date Lauren. These circuitous couplings take place largely at Camden College, the ultimate party school, where on-campus soirées frequently turn into orgies and nobody is ever seen to crack a book. Avary keeps us from sinking into this vast sea of debauchery by fiddling with the story’s timeline, first exploring one story thread, then "rewinding" back to the starting point to follow another, and even "fast forwarding" to embellish a third. His direction is muscular and energetic -- so much so that you’ll be thoroughly caught up in what could easily have been a dreary, pointless depiction of directionless, emotionally stunted, substance-abusing, compulsive fornicators. The DVD edition features a "revolving door" commentary by various cast members and production people, along with a Sundance Channel "Anatomy of a Scene" featurette and a preview of Avary’s film Glitterati.