The Shape of Things (2003)

The Shape of Things: Directed by Neil LaBute. With Gretchen Mol, Paul Rudd, Rachel Weisz, Frederick Weller. A quiet, unassuming man begins to change in a major way as a result of meeting a new, art-student girlfriend, and his friends are unsettled by the transformation.

“Neil LaButeu0026#39;s u0026quot;The Shape of Thingsu0026quot; (based on his own play) is a brilliant, sharp and devastating study of the thin line between what some people call u0026quot;artu0026quot;, and cruel manipulation. Rachel Weisz delivers her best performance to date as u0026#39;Evelynu0026#39;, an iconoclastic Art student who seduces the nerdy Adam (a surprising Paul Rudd, showing that he has much more range than his contributions with the Apatow crew might demonstrate). She convinces him to make some major changes in his life, both physical (u0026quot;Youu0026#39;re cute. I donu0026#39;t like your hairu0026quot;, she says as they first meet in the museum where Adam works) and emotional, as she forces him to disown his only friends, played by Gretchen Mol and Fred Weller (whose performances are not in the same league as Weiszu0026#39;s and Ruddu0026#39;s, but they fit their roles).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLaBute debuted with another cruel and controversial film, the hit u0026quot;In the Company of Menu0026quot; (1997), where Aaron Eckhart and Matt Malloy play executives who decide to seduce and destroy a deaf woman just for the u0026quot;funu0026quot; of it. u0026quot;The Shape of Thingsu0026quot; is just as unsettling as ITCOM, since it deals with broader types and tough issues, such as body image and the perception and value of art. Weiszu0026#39;s character at first seems just a cocky, but apparently really passionate Art student, but as we observe her mind games, we ask ourselves some provocative questions on the real meaning of Art and its boundaries in our society, the way we perceive it and how weu0026#39;re influenced by it. The soundtrack is fully composed of Elvis Costellou0026#39;s songs (such as u0026quot;When I Was Cruel No. 2u0026quot;, u0026quot;Radio Silenceu0026quot; and u0026quot;Tear Off Your Own Head (Itu0026#39;s a Doll Revolution)u0026quot;), and theyu0026#39;re the perfect complement for this dark, poignant, and wickedly entertaining gem. To think that, after this, LaBute went on to make u0026quot;The Wicker Manu0026quot; remake… letu0026#39;s hope he makes something worth our attention again, because we know he can do it. A film to be seen and discussed over and over. 10/10.”