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Damsels in Distress makes the long waited, and somewhat anticipated return of Whit Stillman to writing/directing. The last time he made a film was 1998’s The Last Days of Disco. Stillman has always been known for his, pardon the pun, witty writing style and character development; and Damsels in Distress harkens that same feel once again. Don’t let the title fool you, there is nothing distressing about this movie; unless you walk in to see a movie and a musical breaks out.
Damsels in Distress starts off at what can only be considered an East Coast University that until recently had been an all male institution. The notion of a school only recently becoming coed is a different take, especially since we don’t get an exact time frame of when the movie takes place. The movie follows mainly three girls who are close friends; Violet (Greta Gerwig) who is the undeclared leader of the trio, Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke), and Heather (Carrie MacLemore). These girls are out to change the way the school is and make it more accepting to women like themselves. They come upon a transfer student, Lily (Analeigh Tipton) and take her under their wing. The girls decide that the mood of the university is much too bleak, and the best way to change things around is to start a suicide prevention center; the method of choice is of course . . . tap dancing.
Violet, Rose, and Heather show Lily the way they believe life and love should manifest in society. This is a rather interesting take due to the dialogue and how everything plays out throughout the movie. Violet seemingly has her way mapped out, but deep down inside she is really quite lost. The way she speaks is quite elegant, and almost seems as if she takes the Shakespeare phrase “All the world is a stage” entirely literally.
Violet believes that most women date men who will appear to make them look better and increase their stature; she doesn’t agree with this theory and believes that women should improve a man’s stature in life and appearance by merely teaching them, and also being seen with them. This is an interesting take for me, because it seems that this is the way society actually looks at relationships from both genders. The way the dialogue was written and performed adds something that is missing from most movies recently.
Lily slowly takes what she is learning and believes she has gained the greater understanding of everything, that is until she meets a man unlike any other she has ever met, Charlie (Adam Brody). As Lily comes into her own, Violet admits that she’s not really depressed, but in a tailspin of her life. This comes with the realization that her boyfriend, whom she is trying to change, Frank (Ryan Metcalf) seduces another girl.
Throughout the movie we meet an interesting collection of characters that all seem to fit in their own way. Rose and Heather seem to have difficulties of their own as well. Taking Violet’s advice doesn’t seem to help either of them due to the fact that most of the men at the university have dating skills not seen since Cro-Magnon man. This is where the title comes into play.
The girls all seem to have their heads firmly on their shoulders, but when they attempt to put into play what they believe in, all that comes out is putting their own lives in distress. This adds depth to the movie in a way that is intriguing. Most viewers might see this as a stretch to keep the comedy alive, but the way the script is written and the way the actors portray their roles really adds humor and depth. While some might consider it silly humor or going in for cheap laughs, it really gives off the sense of meaning in the way everything is structured.
This movie certainly isn’t for everybody. There will always be a certain sect of the audience that will shun a movie such as Damsels in Distress. I found myself caught in the middle. Some of things felt a little over-the-top and contrived, but the humor and portrayal really added something that some might miss out on. There is also the plot line which comes across as a conceivably “what the hell” type of a storyline. Also, leaving out when the movie takes place adds some distraction, but you do get a vague sense. It was enjoyable and is just a fun film to watch when you want a few good laughs, or just want to get away from the normal doldrums of some of the current films of the day.
Overall, I say if you have the chance to see it, take it; you might walk away with a spring in your step or at least with some memorable lines and a few unforgettable characters.
