The Shape of Things was originally staged as a play before transitioning to film with the 4 person cast completely intact. Both the play and the film were written and directed by Neil LaBute, a talented man who of recent has sold out and taken Hollywood's money (seriously, why else would you remake The Wicker Man?). Prior to wandering from the path he had a trilogy of films dealing with the gender warfare perpetrated by both men and women. The first film, In the Company of Men, was driven by a character's misanthropy; the second, Your Friends & Neighbors, was driven by multiple selfish and dishonest characters who were upstaged by one characters misogynistic driven cruelty. Tonight's film completes LaBute's battle of the sexes with a definitive winner.
The Shape of Things starts out as an unusual love story, the nerdy guy and the art major, an unlikely pair they begin seeing each other after a seemingly innocent "meet cute" in a museum. Evelyn (the gorgeous and talented Rachel Weisz) is a grad student working on her thesis, the kind of girl you are immediately attracted to until you get to know her a little better. Everything she does seems just a little strange and you get a feeling like the wheels could come off the track at any moment. Any man with even a little experience would pick up on this vibe, but being a nerdy self conscious shlub, like Adam (Rudd), means overlooking the warning signs. Like a deer in the headlights, Adam can only focus on Evelyn's beauty.
Later on we meet Adam's friends, his freshman year roommate Phillip and his recent fiancee Jenny (the under-rated Gretchen Mol). Over a period of a couple of months they notice changes in Adam's appearance and personality. They start subtly, a fashionable haircut, some weight loss, new clothes and the discarding of one hideous jacket in particular that Phillip has asked him to get rid off for years. But later when Phillip bumps into Adam walking across campus with a tell-tale bandage across his recent nose-job, Adam tries to play it off as something that was necessary after an accident.
With all of the changes in his life Adam's personality begins to change as well. He shifts from being a shy, overweight wall flower to being a candidate for the Omegas. But who is responsible for these changes. Adam denies to his friends that the main influence is Evelyn, but isn't that the stereotype, the girlfriend who wants to remake her man or at the very least change a few things here and there? During one scene Jenny even points out to Evelyn how most men have traits that stand between them and perfection, traits that most women can pick out in a heartbeat and are more than willing to help change. I won't give away the ending here because it's a film designed to stimulate conversation between men and women about relationships, honesty and manipulation. Just remember guys, you're not going to win any arguments brought up after watching this film so keep it civil.
The Shape of Things is basically a filmed version of a play, much like David Mamet's gripping Oleanna or one of my other favorites Patrick Marber's Closer. As such it is driven by conversation, carefully worded to give us engaging conversations but filled with subtext providing insight into who they are as people. They are all observant of each other's values, mannerisms and affectations and are willing to offer suggestions to each other despite the fact that none of them seem to be particularly good at taking advice. With the skill of the actors, especially Weisz and Rudd, the motives of the characters are effectively disguised beneath a placid complacency; their normal, casual conversations hiding venomous intentions. This would not have worked in the hands of lesser actors, the words would still be evident but the subtext might have been lost.
LaBute's talent lies in what makes this film work; he has a distinct voice and imbues his characters with a rhythm that is uniquely his. It attracts a better quality of actors and raises their game to a higher level. In his clear voice he bears a resemblance to Mamet, both having a style that is unique and instantly recognizable. As I mentioned before, Rudd has primarily been seen as a comedic actor, but given his talent for timing he reveals a skill set we usually only see glimpses of in his other films. He has an honest and vulnerable quality in his acting that makes him both believable and watchable. Like Jim Carrey, he slips easily into the everyman role that's so hard to fill in Hollywood. It seems like he gets his drama fix acting in plays and I blame that on Hollywood's need to typecast every actor it can. I hope in the future he gets the chance to test his range, I think it might be a surprise worth watching.
Side note: I had some technical difficulties with the auto save tonight thus the late night post. I assure you the post was started and finished on 3/4/10, I just couldn't get the damn thing to post!!!
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