Barnes & Noble

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. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

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. Mark Deming

Entertainment Weekly

A party-hearty teen flick that scalds like acid. Owen Gleiberman

Village Voice

Avary's crisp adaptation imbues the copious bad sex and general befuddlement of Bret Easton Ellis's solemn, echt '80s Bennington novel with a playfully obnoxious energy that is often funny and ... almost fun. J. Hoberman

Product Details

• UPC: 9339065002928
• Source: ICON
• Language: English
• Time: 1:50:00

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Kids / the Rules of Attraction