Review of Damsels in Distress (2012) by David F — 09 May 2012

Whit Stillmanâ(TM)s characters-hyperarticulate, arch, blue bloods-are far from the standard summer movie cast of superheroes and supervillains. Here they go to college and their social lives develop as they go to classes, parties and participate in community service activities.

Instead of exploding military ordinance and buildings falling down this film offers lengthy dialogue concerning cliches, the word âsoâ? and insightful, analytic discourse on what it means to send drinks over to another table at a restaurant.

The campus setting, while panoramic though somewhat cartoonish (thereâ(TM)s a toga party) didnâ(TM)t quite bring the characters into the kind of stark relief that the Manhattan setting did in Stillmanâ(TM)s earlier film, Metropolitan.

I really enjoyed the way Stillman puts a magnifying glass up to the various charactersâ(TM) manners, giving them free rein to discuss their differing philosophies and sketch their own characters through their slightly formal speech.

What this film lacks in action it more than makes up for in sparkling wit.