Director: Roger Avery
Stars: James Van Der Beek, Shannyn Sossamon, Jessica Biel, Ian Somerhalder, Kate Bosworth, Kip Pardue
Certificate: 18
Running Time: 110 minutes

Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, The Rules Of Attraction is a very funny, and often very dark, piece of filmmaking. Roger Avary (Killing Zoe), wrote the screenplay, and directs the film in breathtaking fashion, and uses various 'cool' cinematic techniques that ensure you remain focused on what's going on.

James Van Der Beek, of Dawson's Creek fame, heads the cast as Sean Bateman, brother of Patrick Bateman of American Psycho (another of Ellis's novels developed for the big screen). Van Der Beek ruthlessly undermines his Dawson character, as the drug-dealing Sean, and is something of a revelation in the role.

Shannyn Sossamon (A Knight's Tale) plays Lauren Hynde, the object of Sean's affections. She is a virgin, saving herself for her overseas boyfriend, although she is anything but the innocent girl that she claims to be. Sossamon gives a decent performance and convincingly portrays someone who is hiding something secret.

Ian Somerhalder plays Paul Denton, another of the students on campus, and one who is seeking the attentions of Sean. It is not certain what Paul's sexuality is, as he has been involved with both girls and guys, but we only see him chasing after other guys.

Roger Avary does a masterful job of directing, and ends up producing what some critics are calling "America's Trainspotting". I'm not too sure if I'd go that far, as although there are many references to drugs, the settings for the stories are very different, as are the eventual outcomes. I can, however, see where the comparison comes from, as this is a bold statement of filmmaking, and is one that I would thoroughly recommend.