Sharing the college campus with such films as "Van Wilder" and "PCU," Neil LaBute's "The Shape of Things" takes off in an entirely different direction. It is neither pornographic nor shallow, instead tackling themes such as collegiate approaches to interpersonal relationships.
Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) is an art student and an anarchist, first seen on her way to spray-paint a statue deemed inappropriate for its anatomical correctness by the faculty. Aiming to make a rebellious statement, Evelyn meets Adam (Paul Rudd), her polar opposite.
Adam is chubby, uptight and a certified nerd. He's also a security guard at the gallery, and he runs into Evelyn as she makes her way to the statue. They strike up a conversation, and, unexpectedly, Adam asks her out. Evelyn accepts his offer and the two quickly become a couple. It's here that LaBute begins to take his audience into the heart of this campus' darkness.
Evelyn easily becomes a dominating force in Adam's life. She decides that she wants to transform him for her own amusement. Her plan starts with minor changes like a haircut and some contact lenses, and leads to his dropping extra pounds and going under the knife for a nose job.
Adam becomes a completely different person on the outside, and it isn't long before these outward changes seep into his personality. His changes confuse and alienate his friends, Jenny (Gretchen Mole), and Phillip (Fred Weller). Newly confident, Adam begins to handle himself differently, leading to unforeseen consequences.
"The Shape of Things" is primarily a film about relationships. It addresses the idea of open devotion and commitment on one side being met with increased selfishness and resentment on the other. Both Adam and Evelyn (note the biblical reference) reap rewards and injury from their relationship, which serves as a basis for an umbrella debate over differing types of art.
In addition to the atypical ideas presented in this film, the format is also very different from most of the movies that are constantly streaming from the Hollywood assembly line. LaBute's film was originally staged as a play, and this shows in the form of the film itself. With only 11 separate scenes and four speaking parts, the in-depth scenes quickly become more about underlying thoughts, emotions and attitudes than about actions, events or consequences.
One of the ways in which its original form shows is through the four speaking roles in the film. These are the four main characters, which represent slightly clich?(c)d archetypes, but which are presented in such a way that is completely unexpected and refreshing. Interestingly, the actors in this film are the original cast from the stage production.
There are no good or bad people in this film. Characters are identified as close to evil or as victims, and this kind of dichotomy speaks to people's needs for a little realism in film. This character-driven, thought-provoking filmmaking stands in stark contrast to most mainstream college films from the last 30 or 40 years.
This isn't to say there isn't a place for movies like "Van Wilder" or "PCU," but there is a wide, gaping hole in the college film canon where serious, realistic movies should be. "The Shape of Things" takes a step toward filling that hole.
"The Shape of Things" opens in Buffalo May 23.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
