Critic Reviews
Rules of Attraction, The (2002) Rank 2 Reviews
Expert Review Summary
based on (227) reviews
Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating
Reviews by Score:
Variety (Scott Foundas)
Gets an ambitious, sometimes inspired but ultimately less than satisfying screen treatment from Roger Avary. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Variety (Scott Foundas)
ComingSoon.net (Andy Weil)
I didn't love the movie because the characters are such horrible people, but it led to some intriguing after-movie discussion between my group of friends. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at ComingSoon.net (Andy Weil)
TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox)
The film may ultimately leave you with the same empty feeling as Ellis's fiction, but it's often ingenious in its telling. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox)
Sunday Times (Australia) (Shannon J. Harvey)
James van der Beek not only buries his wussy Dawson's Creek character but spits on its grave. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Sunday Times (Australia) (Shannon J. Harvey)
Boxoffice Magazine (Annlee Ellingson)
What is intriguing about Rules is not only its shocking nature ... but the actors cast in these scandalous roles. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Boxoffice Magazine (Annlee Ellingson)
IGN Movies (Spence D.)
...the first 2/3 of the film are incredibly captivating and insanely funny, thanks in part to interesting cinematic devices ( cool visual backmasking), a solid cast, and some wickedly sick and twisted humor... ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at IGN Movies (Spence D.)
CineFile : il Cinema in Rete (Alberto Cassani)
cinEncanto (Pablo del Moral)
Cineclub-Filmkritik
Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
The Rules of Attraction focuses on three characters: drug dealer and all-around parasite Sean Bateman (Van Der Beek), who is ostensibly the brother of American Psycho's psycho killer Patrick Bateman; beautiful, shy and confused Lauren Hynde (Sossamon), ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Boxoffice Magazine
Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
A cautionary tale with one exclamation mark too many, The Rules of Attraction simply tries too hard. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
The biggest problem with Roger Avary’s uproar against the MPAA is that, even in all its director’s cut glory, he’s made a film that’s barely shocking, barely interesting and most of all, barely anything. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
That [ Rules ] may be the most creatively intriguing of the three films based on Ellis' novels doesn't make it any more palatable. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
Chicago Tribune (Mark Caro)
Some of its parts are nifty, but the sum of these parts is nothing. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Chicago Tribune (Mark Caro)
Seattle Times (John Hartl)
While he and his capable cast do their best, even decadence gets old if you have nothing else to offer. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Seattle Times (John Hartl)
rec.arts.movies.reviews (Homer Yen)
Journal News (Westchester, NY) (Forrest Hartman)
Blunt Review (Emily Blunt)
Star-Democrat (Easton, MD) (Greg Maki)
Avary's style is sure to turn off many viewers, while others will find his inventive filmmaking exhilarating. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Star-Democrat (Easton, MD) (Greg Maki)
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
...often feels, to use the vernacular of a graying generation, like the proverbial bad trip. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
KBTV-NBC (Beaumont, TX) (Danny Minton)
If you go to see this film, you will not only feel sick to your stomach, but you will also feel the sudden need to go to church to clear out the junk that just went into your head. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at KBTV-NBC (Beaumont, TX) (Danny Minton)
Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
Watching a bunch of attractive young actors play promiscuous, drug-guzzling, self-immolating college students can be tedious, but it's not my idea of torture. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
Entertainment Today (Brent Simon)
Avary’s indefatigable movie has a bristling intellectual spirit and a consistency of tone and performance, yet it never amounts to much more than the stylistic repetition of the same joke/point. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Entertainment Today (Brent Simon)
TheWorldJournal.com (Frank Ochieng)
Over-stylized in its production value and underdeveloped in the cynicism department, this inflated and laden vehicle reminds us that school is out both literally and figuratively. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at TheWorldJournal.com (Frank Ochieng)
Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
Should appeal to blase high schoolers who enjoyed Cruel Intentions and crave a stronger tragicomedy of bad manners. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
Chicago Tribune (Mark Caro)
A bravura exercise in emptiness. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Chicago Tribune (Mark Caro)
Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
For casual moviegoers who stumble into Rules expecting a slice of American Pie hijinks starring the kid from Dawson's Creek , they'll probably run out screaming. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
The Rules of Attraction is a classic case of a movie that has many interesting ideas and scenes but never is able to string them together into a unified and cohesive whole. Adapted from the book by Bret Easton Ellis (writer of the novels "Less than Z ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
filmcritic.com (Kevin Smokler)
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
I did not like any of the characters in "The Rules of Attraction." I cringe to write those words, because they imply a superficial approach to the film. Surely there are films where I hated the characters and admired the work? "In the Company of Men"? No, ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Movie Martyr (Jeremy Heilman)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Opens on a display of humiliation and human degradation at its worst and then rewinds, like a video surfer zipping back to replay a favorite scene, to the nominal beginning of the spiral. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Todd Anthony)
The Rules of Attraction gets us too drunk on the party favors to sober us up with the transparent attempts at moralizing. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Todd Anthony)
Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
Hollow and pointless. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
Adapted from Bret Easton Ellis' 1987 novel about six collegians in search of a human encounter, The Rules of Attraction should appeal to blasé high schoolers who enjoyed Cruel Intentions and crave a stronger tragicomedy of bad manners. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
There is no entry portal in The Rules of Attraction, and I spent most of the movie feeling depressed by the shallow, selfish, greedy characters. I wanted to be at another party. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)
All the characters in The Rules of Attraction are so creepy and unlikable it's difficult to care about what happens to them even if you're intrigued by their escapades. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)
The New York Times (Stephen Holden)
The harder the movie tries to shock, the shriller it rings. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at The New York Times (Stephen Holden)
Mediasharx (Dustin Gast)
Film Threat (Todd Levin)
The big screen has a very difficult time capturing the talent of James Van Der Beek - literally. The aspect ratio of projected film simply cannot accommodate the full breadth of his enormous melon head. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Film Threat (Todd Levin)
Supercala.com (John Venable)
I admire the filmmakers for having the huevos to attempt something different, but man is it a trainwreck. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at Supercala.com (John Venable)
filmcritic.com (Kevin Smokler)
Is all this drugging and screwing and blank staring funny? Pathetic? A statement? ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at filmcritic.com (Kevin Smokler)
NutzWorld (Blake French)
...far too complex for the utter simplicity of the story. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at NutzWorld (Blake French)
New York Times (Stephen Holden)
Mr. Avary wants to convince us that his movie's dissipated symbols of late capitalist excess really exist. The harder the movie tries to shock, the shriller it rings. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at New York Times (Stephen Holden)
New York Daily News (Jami Bernard)
Juices up the visuals with fancy camerawork and split screens, but it can't distract enough from the vulgarity of the material. ...read the complete Rules of Attraction movie review at New York Daily News (Jami Bernard)
AboutFilm.com (Carlo Cavagna)
The Movie Insider (Kyle Smith)
d+kaz. Intelligent Movie Reviews (Daniel Kasman)
Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
User Reviews
by Kimberly Meunier on October 08, 2009
I recieved the dvd in excellent condition, very fast time from order to my door and would definately do business again. ...
by V. H. Hickman "Ol... on February 03, 2009
Rules of Attraction that I ordered was delivered in good time. It is in good physical condition. I haven't yet viewed it so I can't speak of the DVD itself. I am happy with this ...
by Chris Hardiman on October 09, 2008
Interesting look at college-life from the perspective of a few hedonistic students. The book is way better. ...
by Adam Dukovich "co... on May 11, 2008
I just watched this movie, and I have to say that I really, really liked it, although I can understand why others don't. This is a cult film, to be sure, and it requires a certain sensibility to see through to the end--the film's blunt force trauma ...
by Edward C. D'Anton... on April 09, 2008
Bret Easton Ellis is a writer that has NO middle ground. You either dislike immediately and not understand what all the fuss is about or you let yourself get drawn into what he is trying to display and go along for the ride. Rules of Attraction may be ...
by R. Zachary on November 10, 2007
I saw this movie a few years back and enjoyed it. I like how it tunes in to true atomsphere. Dawson of Dawson's Creek could have been left out though. Pycho-babble and thug-willy drug pusher...? NAH! Add this to your "hard hitting independent" list. ...
by L. Giles on July 08, 2007
People who are looking for a feel good story are not going to get it in this film. And that is exactly what makes it great -- because life is seldom this way. The characters are not likable and there are no happy endings. The story is told ...
by Jeffrey Leach on May 20, 2007
Bret Easton Ellis is an awesome writer. I think his book "American Psycho" captures a certain essence of modern America that eludes most authors. It's difficult to say that about a book whose main character spends most of his time killing people in the ...
by PHRinBrooklyn on July 16, 2006
Look past the surface of this movie and it's really about loneliness, and the range of consequences around "falling in love" with someone you don't know. Yeah, the characters do debauched, stupid things, but it's all related to their need to "connect" ...
by Damian Gunn "The ... on February 09, 2006
There are many mixed reviews about this film...some love it, some hate it and some just tolerate it...but I am with the first group. While I am a huge fan of Bret Easton Ellis and have read and loved all of his work, Rules of Attraction is one of my ...
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