"The Shape of Things"
Timid Adam (Paul Rudd), a part time museum guard and student at Mercy College, meets his match one day when he confronts art school grad, Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), as she prepares to deface a statue in the museum. He is immediately smitten with the spirited young woman and they start to date. In pretty short order she is "suggesting" that he make improvements to himself - trade his nerdy glasses for contacts, lose weight, exercise, get a haircut, have his nose fixed and get rid of his prized corduroy jacket. But, there is a method to these changes as Evelyn works on Adam to alter "The Shape of Things."
Director/writer Neil LaBute gives us a gender-bending version of his wicked debut film, "In the Company of Men," but unfortunately "The Shape of Things" does not have the power and sheer angst of his debut work. The premise for "Shape" is based on the relationship between sexy, dynamic and domineering Evelyn and dowdy, chubby nebbish Adam. This is where the problem lay. Unless she has an ulterior motive (which she obviously must have) there is no way that a sexy, smart chick like Evelyn would have anything to do with such an indecisive lunk as Adam - unless, as I said, there is a less than savory reason for her attentions.
The two begin dating and, almost immediately, Adam follows her suggestions to improve. These drastic changes soon come under the scrutiny of Adam's former roommate, the acerbic Phillip (Fred Weller), and his pretty fiancée Jenny (Gretchen Mol), and they question the alterations. But, like a freight train, Evelyn is hard to stop and Adam, a follower and not a leader, sticks up for his girlfriend's overt influence. But, the new Adam has become a bit of a hunk because of the metamorphosis and a long-ago attraction between him and Jenny is rekindled, causing friction in the relationships of the two couples. Things come to a head when we learn the true meaning of Evelyn's mission to change Adam and her work is made all too public.
The problems I have with "The Shape of Things" stems from several things. Helmer LaBute, aside from switching the gender of the bad guy, offers nothing new in this clone of "In the Company of Men." The difference, plot-wise, is the conspiracy between the men to denigrate their female victim is replaced by the "lone gunman" character of Evelyn who is operating under her own, private agenda. While Aaron Eckhart's Chad, in "ITCOM," is a despicable cad - the kind of guy you love to hate - Evelyn comes across as a smart, self-centered brat who is simply used to getting her way, regardless of the impact on those around her.
There is also no real emotional investment for the viewer with the characters in "The Shape of Things," with the exception of a charming and likable performance by Gretchen Mol. There is no reason to like or identify with Evelyn. Adam has little, if any, appeal and Phillip is too acrimonious to give the character any dimension. LaBute's script telegraphs its intent early on as Evelyn repeatedly states that she is a graduate art student working on her thesis, but since all she seems to do is change Adam's looks then....
Overall, I came out of "The Shape of Things" with a feeling of ambivalence toward the main characters. There are no surprises and the cast (again, with the exception of Mol) does nothing to make me empathize with the principles. I give it a C-.
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