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Shape Of Things
2003
Rachel Weisz, Paul Rudd, Gretchen Mol, and Frederick Weller star in Neil LaBute's adaptation of his own stage play, which also featured all four actors. The film focuses on the unlikely romance between precocious art grad student Evelyn (Weisz) and shy English undergraduate Adam (Rudd). As their relationship progresses, the .. Read more
| Starring | Gretchen Mol, Paul Rudd, Rachel Weisz |
|---|---|
| Director | Neil LaBute |
| Genres | Drama, Romance |
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Shape Of Things
Rachel Weisz, Paul Rudd, Gretchen Mol, and Frederick Weller star in Neil LaBute's adaptation of his own stage play, which also featured all four actors. The film focuses on the unlikely romance between precocious art grad student Evelyn (Weisz) and shy English undergraduate Adam (Rudd). As their relationship progresses, the square, bookish Adam is brought out of his shell by the spontaneous, opinionated Evelyn. Soon Adam is losing weight, wearing contact lenses instead of glasses, and dressing more fashionably than before. However, Adam's changes begin to affect his longtime friendship with the optimistic, attractive Jenny (Mol) and the cocky, smug Philip (Weller), who are now engaged. Soon the four become involved in a variety of uncomfortable entanglements, ultimately leading to a disturbing revelation.
A welcome return to form for LaBute after the period-piece detour of POSSESSION, THE SHAPE OF THINGS finds the provocative director-screenwriter back in the darkly comedic vein of his first two films, IN THE COMPANY OF MEN and YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS. Whereas those two movies focused on the ruthless and manipulative side of the male psyche, this film features a woman carrying out the same sorts of questionable acts of cruelty. As LaBute's film goes from sweet to sadistic, it brings up larger issues involving art and relationships, but these points never detract from the fine ensemble performances or the intriguing central story. Shot in California, the sunny backdrop of THE SHAPE OF THINGS works wonderfully as the counterpoint to the film's shady proceedings and allows the stage-play roots of the tale to unfold in a different light.
| Starring | Gretchen Mol, Paul Rudd, Rachel Weisz |
|---|---|
| Director | Neil LaBute |
| Studio | MOMENTUM PICTURES |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 37 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama, Romance |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Released | DVD: 09 Jun 2004 Production year: 2003 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (4)
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Misanthropy and psychological violence have been Neil LaBute's stock in trade ever since his impressive debut, In the Company of Men. This adaptation of his own 2001 stage play serves up yet another helping of the formula, but sadly the result is not so much shocking as silly. Paul Rudd plays Adam, a geeky student given a makeover by his radical artist girlfriend (Rachel Weisz), but her intentions are not what they seem. The mind games that ensue drag in Adam's friends Jenny (Gretchen Mol) and Phillip (Frederick Weller) and expose tensions in their relationship. The theatricality of the dialogue is a distraction from the frankly implausible plot, and once you factor in that everyone looks at least a decade too old to be at college, you have a disappointment from a writer/director who might wish to consider showing us another trick.
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Adapted from a stage play, this bleak exercise in cruelty retains its theatrical quality, in which dialogue predominates over action and image.
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Most helpful member's review
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12 out of 14 people found this review helpful
Does Not Deserve The Slatings
I found this to be quite interesting and actually quite enjoyable. I'm not sure why other readers seem to be slating it and as for the 25 minute New Yorker, what can I say...If you only watch a movie for 25 minutes then there really isn't any point in submitting your reviews. I do agree that the first 20 or so minutes were quite slow moving but it gets better and definately worth a watch.
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Most recent members' review
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4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Typical LaBute, bittersweet
A big-screen adaptation of his own stage play, Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things is a very simple story at heart, ostensibly a collection of 5 or 6 very long scenes that culminate in LaBute's typical cathartic, kick-you-in-the-balls fashion.
Evelyn (Weiss) is an art terrorist, who meets museum curator Adam (Rudd), a pudgy shy type who intially can't believe that someone as feisty as Evelyn would ever be interested in him. As their relationship grows, along with that of Adam and his best friends, it becomes almost too obvious about Evelyn's motives, and by the time the ending rolls around, you're almost hoping LaBute's been playing you along as well.
Enjoyable, and a showcase for some fine performances, but perhaps The Shape of Things should have remained a play. -
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Shape Of Things
Rachel Weisz, Paul Rudd, Gretchen Mol, and Frederick Weller star in Neil LaBute's adaptation of his own stage play, which also featured all four actors. The film focuses on the unlikely romance between precocious art grad student Evelyn (Weisz) and shy English undergraduate Adam (Rudd). As their ...
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