The Shape of Things

Synopsis: While visiting an art museum, a nerdy college student named Adam meets an iconoclastic artist named Evelyn and is instantly smitten. As their relationship develops, she gradually encourages Adam to change in various ways that surprise his older friends, Jenny and Philip. However, as events progress, Evelyn's antics become darker and darker as her influence begins to twist Adam and his friends in hurtful ways.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Director(s): Neil LaBute
Production: Focus Features
  1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
6.7
Metacritic:
59
Rotten Tomatoes:
64%
R
Year:
2003
96 min
$662,763
2,760 Views


We would like to remind

our visitors today...

that the documentary film

on the works of Alex Katz...

will begin in 10 minutes

in the Brunnell Theater.

You stepped over the line.

Huh? You stepped over the line, miss.

Uh, it's Ms.

Sorry, Ms., but, um...

I meant to.

You're not supposed to

do that. Or the photos.

That's why I tried it. Why?

To see what would happen.

Well, uh,

I mean,

I'm what happens.

I-I ha... I have to walk over, like I've

done, and ask you to take a step back.

And if someone doesn't,

what then?

I'm not sure.

I've never had anyone

not step back.

I've only said it, like, four times,

and every time they've done it.

What if I'm your first?

Non-stepper, I mean. Then what?

Look, I'm off in 10 minutes. I'd probably just

stand here, make sure you didn't touch anything.

Really?

Pretty much.

Yeah... No, I'd let the next shift

talk to you, kick you out, or whatever.

You wouldn't grab me

or anything?

You're not gonna mess up

my weekend with this, are you?

I wasn't planning on it, but I'm

not completely against it either.

See, if you get all crazy, then I

gotta write up a report and stuff.

I'm here till 5:
00, 5:30 easy, and I have

a second job to get to... the video store.

Oh, that's where I...

I've seen you in there.

You helped me once, I think.

Yeah? With what?

The Picture of Dorian Gray.

You found it in " Drama,"

not "Classics."

Right!

I remember that!

Somebody misplaced it.

Yes! Yeah, behind Cabaret.

Mmm.

That's funny.

Anyway, you helped me.

That was... nice.

Thanks.

But you're not gonna

return the favor, right?

You mean, step back over...

No, I-I'm... I'm sorry.

I can't. Why is that?

It's a pretty good-sized

sculpture.

You could see it

just fine from here.

Truthfully?

I'm gonna deface the statue.

Oh.

Uh, is that paint?

Yes, it is.

Great.

Hey, uh, paint's not really a

great thing to bring into a museum.

Why do you have that?

I'm gonna do something to the

nude. What, like, color it?

I'm thinking more of

painting a big dick on it. Oh.

And would "Why?" Be completely

out of the question here?

- Because I don't like art that isn't true.

- True?

This sculpture,

it's fake, it's not real.

Therefore, false art.

No, it's a Fornicelli.

It definitely is. I read the

little thingie there one time.

Yes, but the leaf isnt.

It's not?

Well, what is it? A pastie

or something, like strippers have?

It's plaster...

that was added by a committee who had

complaints from local townspeople.

Really?

I didn't know that.

They took issue with his thing...

you know, the shape of it.

Said it was too life like.

It's supposed to be God. You know,

that's what pisses them off.

Look.

See, it's right behind

the leaf there.

You can just see his...

Twig.

Yeah, but they didn't even cover it

properly. It's shoddy craftsmanship.

I mean, if you're gonna do it, at

least do it... Exactly. Do it right.

So, you're a student, then,

or is this just basic anarchy?

Student.

Me too.

What's your emphasis? Taking

out school loans, mostly.

But I do sit in on

a few English classes.

You're in art?

Mm-hmm. MFA.

Oh.

Applied Theory and Crit.

So, is this, like, a project,

then, or...

No, I am just getting started

on my thesis project now.

It's a big sort of

installation... thingie.

That's a good word, huh?

"Thingie."

It is.

Anyway, this is just...

an idea I had.

You're cute.

I don't like your hair.

Thanks... I think.

No, you're definitely cute,

but you should...

you should do something

with it, your hair.

Okay.

I-I'll try that.

Your relies late.

Yeah. Typical.

Yeah, so do you have to stay at your

station until they spell you, or...

Oh, no, no. At punch-out time I'm

supposed to get down there and do it.

They can really be pricks

about that.

Oh, you should go, then.

Yeah.

Can I call you?

What do you want to call me?

Um... just up...

for right now.

I mean, talk.

Maybe get crazy.

Um, take you to dinner?

Okay.

Uh, sure.

Do they... allow you

to do that here?

What, eat dinner?

I meant, hit on the patrons.

Uh, no.

They've got a pretty strict policy

about that too actually.

But...

Ah. The great equalizer.

"But."

Exactly.

I'll take the risk.

Good answer, Grasshopper.

What?

Kung Fu. On TV?

Remember when he was a kid, there was

an old guy with flakey contact lenses...

Right!

Grasshopper.

I don't really watch

much television.

Yeah.

So, do you want

a number?

Hmm? Oh, God.

Absolutely.

Oh, dang it.

I don't have a pen.

Me either.

Here.

What?

Give me the jacket.

Hmm? Oh.

Uh... Uh...

That's my own.

That's not part of the

uniform. That's mine.

Good. Now youll

always have it on you.

Great.

Yeah.

- So, I'll call you?

- Yeah.

It was nice

to meet you... again.

You too.

You can definitely tell.

You can.

- Really.

- I bet your friends say something.

Twenty bucks.

Okay.

- I mean, I can't tell, so I figured... - Thats because

you see you every day, shower, getting dressed...

- So do you.

- I don't see you shower or getting dressed.

I meant every day.

So far, anyways.

I know. I'm kidding.

Oh.

I'd like that, though,

if... you would.

What?

Showering and...

getting dressed, you know...

Both, if you want.

Either. Anything.

Any moment I can get with you.

That's what I'd like.

Ask and you shall receive.

So I'm asking, then.

So you shall be

receiving, then.

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Neil LaBute

Neil N. LaBute (born March 19, 1963) is an American playwright, film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is best-known for a play that he wrote and later adapted for film, In the Company of Men (1997), which won awards from the Sundance Film Festival, the Independent Spirit Awards, and the New York Film Critics Circle. He wrote and directed the films Your Friends & Neighbors (1998), Possession (2002) (based on the A.S. Byatt novel), The Shape of Things (2003) (based on his play of the same name), The Wicker Man (2006), Some Velvet Morning (2013), and Dirty Weekend (2015). He directed the films Nurse Betty (2000), Lakeview Terrace (2008), and the American adaptation of Death at a Funeral (2010). LaBute created the TV series Billy & Billie, writing and directing all of the episodes and is also creator of the TV series Van Helsing. He also directed several episodes for shows such as Hell on Wheels and Billions. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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