Review of Metropolitan (1990) by Del H — 31 May 2015

This is an extremely charming film about some extremely upper class New Yorkers. Clothing, manners, and literature are discussed while a somewhat tense and climactic plot sneaks up on the characters who actually spend most of the film going to parties and discussing culture and ideas with one another while falling in and out of love.

Whit Stillman's films are not for everyone but this one is such a fully realized portrait of a certain time and place-1980s Upper East Side Manhattan's Urban Haute Bourgeoisie-it should secure at least a sociological interest from those who find his characters too snooty or removed from ordinary daily life.

For those of us who enjoy a Noel Coward play or an Evelyn Waugh novel, however, this is like the second coming-a perfectly plotted comedy of manners about some very well-spoken and very well-dressed young people.