Review of Metropolitan (1990) by Angie M — 23 Dec 2008

An unexpected Indie hit in its day, Metropolitan found success probably because it is so damn entertaining. The movie is 98 minutes of nothing but banter between a group of friends who, put simply, can afford to. Set "not so long ago", a bunch of upper-middle class youth chance upon a man from the other side of town. Very soon this man, who has his own elite ties through his estranged father, becomes frequent in their social circles, despite claiming to be a "committed socialist" at the beginning. The characters all seem engaged in an unconscious self-deprecating humor, as they tumble through the irony of what they say and how they behave.

The characters themselves are fascinating enough - from Nick, whose catty pessimism is probably the most truthful and observant in the group, to Charlie who hides his social inadequacy through an almost impassionate nerdism, to Tom who arrives as an outsider professing disdain for this society, and yet finds himself drawn towards it. The three actors, as well, do a terrific job in making their roles highly believable and enjoyable. I wished the female characters had been as interesting though, for none of them had the well-rounded idiosyncracies, and most of them got lumped into stereotypes of the shallow blonde (Cynthia, Serena) or the plain jane (Audrey).

The movie never diverts from its lighthearted comic approach. It is the leisurely indulgence, rather than decadence, that signal the "downward mobility" of this class. Even potentially serious topics, like the rather obsessive infatuation Audrey had for Tom, or the hints at sexual promiscuity and date rapes in the society, were treated with the frivolity that did not disrespect the subject matter but, in fact, was more realistic than a dramatic approach would have been (because it is how people then and still do behave). These kids of rich parents, who have nothing better to do but spend their time cruising the party circuit and gossipping about it, and have no better use of their education than to engage in intellectual tete-a-tetes. Yet again, notice the presence of the self-deprecation, when Charlie talks about the eventual doom of the 'U.H.B' (urban houte Bourgeoisie) because of its indolence while expressing indirect alarm at what will happen to society as a result; or the decline in the quality of the debutante parties even while they criticize the very point of these parties.

This movie needs to be watched to be experienced. The comedy is not 'ha-ha', but as an audience I was amused nevertheless, mainly because as an audience I was given the outside-in perspective, where the people and the class and all its flaws become much transparent.