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      The Shape of Things

      R Released May 9, 2003 1 hr. 36 min. Drama List
      64% 137 Reviews Tomatometer 65% 5,000+ Ratings Audience Score "The Shape of Things," a contemporary story of love and art set in a college town, follows the steadily intensifying relationship between Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) and Adam (Paul Rudd). As Evelyn strengthens her hold on Adam, his emotional and physical evolution discomforts his friends Jenny (Gretchen Mol) and Philip (Frederick Weller), with unexpected consequences for all. Read More Read Less
      The Shape of Things

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      Critics Consensus

      LaBute returns to his earlier themes of cruelty in relationships, and the results hit hard.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member It's all about the shape of things A young Paul Rudd and Rachel Weisz are an unusual type of romantic leads in a contemporary story of love and art based on an eponymous play Neil LaBute of 'Crying Game' fame centers on two people: Weisz plays Evelyn, Rudd plays Adam who meet in an art museum He's shocked to find out she says yes asking her on a date They both seem to hit it off but his college friends start noticing changes in Adam's behavior whenever Evelyn is around She's making him dress differently act differently even getting plastic surgery They're worried her emotional hold on him is too strong Then the relationships and loyalties between all of them start to be tested Many of the central themes here revolve around stoicism, limit of art, psychopathy, intimacy, and peoples willingness to do things for love Relationships are good but there's still possibility for them to be cruel and hurtful If it isn't one party member it's usually multiple ones This is an alright effort by LaBute but it dives deep into cruelty as well as emotional violence Whether for art or notoriety there are lengths some people are willing to go sometimes even the worst ones Rated 2 out of 5 stars 05/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Rachel Weisz is pure evil in this. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member It's horrible how Evelyn took advantage of Adam and of his love and trust. I couldn't believe she could do something like that, I mean how did the author thought of such a terrible thing?! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member What a miserable uncomfortable experience, there was no comedy at all, just the discomfort of watching people at each others throat. with unbearable characters, The embarrassment of betrayal, ultimately to be nothing more then a sadistic joke by a sociopath, under the false idea of art...after enduring a film of non stop squirming, one would hope for a satisfying resolution... no luck here.... just left feeling like I wanted back the last hour and a half of my life.... . if this character is an artist then so was Ted Bundy, except Ted Bundy was fascinating, this character wasn't. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review thomas l Tedious and cynical, the potential for a light romantic comedy was dashed by the uneven dialog in the musem at the start of the film and the obvious manipulation of Rudd's puppy dog character by Weisz, who was only missing the stilettos and a dog chain. Don't try so hard. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Together with IN THE COMPANY OF MEN and YOUR NEIGHBOURS & FRIENDS, Neil LaBute's adaptation of his own play critiquing our obsession with desirability and moral absence in artmaking make up the thrillingly provocative trilogy on modern day sexual warfare. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critical Consensus: "Crank" Is Well-Ranked; "Illusionist" Is Magic, "Crossover" Is An Air-Ball, "Wicker Man" Gets Burned "Fantastic Four" Sequel Has an Official Title Paul Rudd Joins the "Reno" Police Force

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      Critics Reviews

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      Scott Tobias AV Club When the players themselves are conceived this superficially, LaBute winds up invalidating his own point. Feb 12, 2008 Full Review Colin Kennedy Empire Magazine The actors all benefit from intimate knowledge of difficult parts, and barbs at modern art and sexual mores do cut through. Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Time Out There are barbs here to tickle anyone's paranoia, but the callousness isn't illustrative, just exploitative. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review Felicia Feaster Creative Loafing The Shape of Things thus suits LaBute's objectives and the temper of our times beautifully even while it contains an uncharacteristically obvious and reactionary notion at its core. Jan 29, 2020 Full Review Mark Steyn The Spectator The great theme in LaBute's work is that every man is an island, and true relationships are therefore impossible. The advantage of that is that it's a brilliant allpurpose excuse for the writer's inability to develop character. Feb 2, 2018 Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed [Director] Labute presents a ballsy, daring, and truly original portrait of human cruelty... Apr 29, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis "The Shape of Things," a contemporary story of love and art set in a college town, follows the steadily intensifying relationship between Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) and Adam (Paul Rudd). As Evelyn strengthens her hold on Adam, his emotional and physical evolution discomforts his friends Jenny (Gretchen Mol) and Philip (Frederick Weller), with unexpected consequences for all.
      Director
      Neil LaBute
      Executive Producer
      Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
      Screenwriter
      Neil LaBute
      Distributor
      Focus Features
      Production Co
      London Films
      Rating
      R (Some Sexuality|Language)
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      May 9, 2003, Wide
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Nov 15, 2019
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $732.2K
      Sound Mix
      Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
      Aspect Ratio
      Scope (2.35:1)