Damsels in Distress

johnny_ultimate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGWRPwjGf5E

Been a while since I've seen a film so hard to make up my mind on. From minute to minute I was questioning whether it was a highly misjudged experiment or a flawed but brilliant commentary on the artificiality of cinema. Or maybe it's a film that consciously tries to take said artificiality to its new extreme. Perhaps it's the emergence of a tongue-in-cheek post-post-feminism manifesto. Basically a campus comedy about a group of highly conservative and deeply eccentric 'damsels' and their bizarre romantic encounters with fratboy idiots / doofi (as opposed to doofuses) / pretentious Europeans with peculiar sexual and religious preferences. It's offbeat humour, and highly eccentric. The first half is loaded with laughs whereas the second struggles comparatively. It's almost impossible to decipher who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist, as it seems to switch perspectives with a dizzy disregard for tradition.

It's well made and directed, with a fondness for the technical flourishes of classic cinema (note how the characters positively glow when they're outside). There's an amusing and strangely affable old-fashioned soundtrack that sounds like elevator music reinterprations of the cheesier Elvis Presley tracks. The characters are so absurd and surreal they're actually sort of loveable, including a character so stupid he's unable to differentiate between colours (leading to one of the funniest third act revelations I've seen). It's a mess, but there's the constant sense that director Whit Stillman is wholly aware of that. Many will hate it, absolutely hate it. Some will embrace it's eccentricities. Others may well feel struggle which side they fall on, only to ultimately decide it might be a lot of both.

Although I'm sure everyone will agree Greta Gerwig is, as ever, amazing.

Anniebell

I'm turning into a bit of a regular film goer since having my baby boy & this is showing next week & I looked it up on IMDB as I knew nothing about it! Thanks for your review. The reviews on IMDB werent great so was undecided. Might give it a go though now after your post!

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGWRPwjGf5E

Been a while since I've seen a film so hard to make up my mind on. From minute to minute I was questioning whether it was a highly misjudged experiment or a flawed but brilliant commentary on the artificiality of cinema. Or maybe it's a film that consciously tries to take said artificiality to its new extreme. Perhaps it's the emergence of a tongue-in-cheek post-post-feminism manifesto. Basically a campus comedy about a group of highly conservative and deeply eccentric 'damsels' and their bizarre romantic encounters with fratboy idiots / doofi (as opposed to doofuses) / pretentious Europeans with peculiar sexual and religious preferences. It's offbeat humour, and highly eccentric. The first half is loaded with laughs whereas the second struggles comparatively. It's almost impossible to decipher who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist, as it seems to switch perspectives with a dizzy disregard for tradition.

It's well made and directed, with a fondness for the technical flourishes of classic cinema (note how the characters positively glow when they're outside). There's an amusing and strangely affable old-fashioned soundtrack that sounds like elevator music reinterprations of the cheesier Elvis Presley tracks. The characters are so absurd and surreal they're actually sort of loveable, including a character so stupid he's unable to differentiate between colours (leading to one of the funniest third act revelations I've seen). It's a mess, but there's the constant sense that director Whit Stillman is wholly aware of that. Many will hate it, absolutely hate it. Some will embrace it's eccentricities. Others may well feel struggle which side they fall on, only to ultimately decide it might be a lot of both.

Although I'm sure everyone will agree Greta Gerwig is, as ever, amazing.

JP Liz V1

What is Analeigh Tipton's role like?

I thought was great in Crazy, Stupid, Love and she kinda has the coolness and kookiness of Emma Stone and Zooey Deschanel if that makes sense

johnny_ultimate

Can't say she sticks out one way or the other TBH. Stuck with the straight role in a film full of ludicrous parody characters, so she doesn't have a whole lot to work with.

pickarooney

That looks like Megalyn Cantspellherlastname in the still. Already slightly interested.

mike65

Is it me or are film titles getting ever more self describing and literal? I'm waiting for Great Movie - the Movie (which is almost certainly going to be rubbish)

johnny_ultimate

mike65 wrote: »

Is it me or are film titles getting ever more self describing and literal? I'm waiting for Great Movie - the Movie (which is almost certainly going to be rubbish)

Well as soon as the female cast are credited as 'The Damsels' and the male cast are credited as 'Their Distresses' in the opening titles, you know you can take the title with more than a small hint of irony.

Anniebell

Saw this on Tuesday. Initial impression was a cross between Mean Girls & Clueless but not as "dumb" for want of a better word. Enjoyed it but thought some characters were way OTT!
Loved the dialogue though, thought the script was very well written.

paddyismaddy

was hoping damsels in undress

DeeMitch

Thought this film was awful, Woody Allen without the wit.