Many movies charm us with their age-old tale of boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, both live happily ever after. The Rules of Attraction however, does anything but this. Rules is not the typical teeny-bopper gross out college comedy. It is a merciless and honest look into the reality of the lives of three individuals. The first, Sean Bateman (James van Der Beek), is a drug dealer with an outstanding debt to …showed first 75 words of 641 total…

…showed last 75 words of 641 total…one really knows anyone." Later, Sean tells Paul, "No one will ever know anyone". These statements reveal the emptiness inside of both characters. The Rules of Attraction is not a beautiful painting. It is however, a brilliant and painfully realistic work of art. It goes into places that few films are willing to go, but does so with a sense of respect and, once more, reality that is rare in most films of its kind.