The Rules of Attraction

Like an episode of MTV's barely-legal late-night dorm life soap Undressed, with tons more creativity but without any more substance, this stylish, glib, endemically energetic diversion is indulgently entertaining but could have and should have been deeper. Enthusiastically adapted by Roger Avary (Killing Zoe) from the whimsically subversive novel by Bret Easton Ellis (American Psycho), it's a very black comedy about the feral underbelly of modern campus life, full of cinematic invention but also narrative superficiality, with characters (played by teen-TV lightweight types trying to gain edgy credibility) that are shallow, callow party-crowd people (albeit intentionally) who think they're deeply philosophical, but whose ugly psyches aren't made vivid enough to be of more than passing interest. Oddly, Avary leaves the novel's 1980s values and addictions conspicuously intact (the book was a satire of the era's excesses), but for no good reason transplants the action to present day. Ultimately, the film's wicked sense of humor and clever moviemaking cannot compensate for the fact that it's essentially weightless. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by comedian Carrot Top and five “revolving door” commentary tracks by 1) Sharon Seymour, Ron Jeremy, Ian Somerhalder and Russell Sams; 2) Shannyn Sossamon, Theresa Wayman, Kip Pardue and Clifton Collins Jr.; 3) Jeremiah Samuels, Andy Milburn, Thomas Ian Nicholas and Joel Michaely; 4) Robert Brinkmann and Harry Ralston; and 5) Sharon Rutter and Eric Szmanda; the 25-minute “Anatomy of a Scene” Sundance Channel featurette; trailers and brief spots for Bret Easton Ellis books and the soundtrack. Bottom line: more commentary than you can shake a boom mike at for an otherwise rather lightweight film.] (R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—Mar. 29, 2011—Lionsgate, 110 min., not rated, $19.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2002's The Rules of Attraction boasts a solid transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Blu-ray extras carried over from the previous DVD release include audio commentary by “mystery guest” comedian Carrot Top and five “revolving door” commentary tracks by 1) production designer Sharon Seymour, Ron Jeremy, and costars Ian Somerhalder and Russell Sams; 2) costars Shannyn Sossamon, Theresa Wayman, Kip Pardue, and Clifton Collins Jr.; 3) executive producer Jeremiah Samuels, singer Andy Milburn, and costars Thomas Ian Nicholas and Joel Michaely; 4) cinematographer Robert Brinkmann and second unit director Harry Ralston; and 5) editor Sharon Rutter and costar Eric Szmanda. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a so-so film.]