I am toying with the title. “Rules of Attraction� is interesting but really this movie seems to focus more on people pursuing relationships as opposite to attracting something. There is Paul trying to be with Sean who is trying to be with Lauren who is trying to be with Victor, while Lara just seems to be with anyone she wants but only in a sexual way. I entitled this review as the pursuit of happiness, because that is all they seem to do. They all just take drugs, have sex, and try to create relationships. The big question is whether any real happiness is found. No one seems to be pondering the bigger issues but instead is looking for the quick fix. Actually, now that I think about it, I am not even sure any of the characters really wanted a relationship, but just wanted sexual relations with the one they are attracted to.

The movie’s real power is how it tells the story. It uses split screen to have a conversation with two people where they were talking face to face with each other but we see their faces. Also there is a split screen between a person’s reality and a person’s fantasy. There is the creative use of backwards filming. It is interesting how the movie integrates the different individual’s stories and also the focal events at “The End of the World Party.� I must admit the tarnish of the story telling was the voiceovers in the beginning. It would not have changed much to have them removed.

The acting was mixed. James Van Der Beek is better in Dawson’s Creek then this movie. He just seemed to make faces a lot but there did not seem to be any substance behind the facial expressions. Jessica Biel was not used much other then to look good. Shannyn Sossamon and Ian Somerhalder were the shining examples, although the scriptwriter could have perhaps given them some more depth.

There seemed to be some gratuitous amounts of sexual content, dancing, and drugs. So, I feel that this could have been a better movie with just the excess filler removed.