Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Greta Gerwig, and Analeigh Tipton in a scene from Whit Stillman’s “Damsels in Distress.” (Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classic)
Talkative. That’s the first word to come to mind when speaking of Whit Stillman’s “Damsels in Distress.”
Stillman’s films always carry on as if they are some intimate conversation between the director and his camera.
Nothing is different for “Damsels in Distress,’ a coming-of-age frill fest that despite being contemporary in content seems aged on screen.
Stillman somehow manages to make four 20-something collegiates seem old, wise and (ironically) sure of themselves.
Indie-darling Greta Gurwig as Violet leads the film’s collegiate cast.
Violet is a woman on a mission.
At their fictional Seven Oaks university (picturesque and preppy, just like SMU) Violet and her group of friends strive to keep the students from killing themselves.
Taking a light look at a heavy subject, the girls’ best remedy for suicide prevention is good-smelling soap and a fast-paced tap dancing routine.
While soap and tap dancing may not seem like logical solutions for suicide prevention, in Stillman’s whimsy, suburban world, that’s all that is needed to keep a stressed collegiate at bay.
The film opens on Violet and her group of friends inducing transfer student Lily into their exclusive group.
Lily, played by “America’s Next Top Model” alumnus Analiegh Tipton, takes a liking to the group but manages to come off as more rooted than the rest of her comrades
While most of the film’s dialogue is packed full of Stillman’s signature sharp wit, the story begins to evolve after Violet’s bone-head boyfriend Frank cheats on her.
This cause Violet’s perfect world to start crumbling down. Or as Violet puts it, “I like to say I’m in a tailspin.”
Broken-hearted and beat down, Violet espaces the compounds of Seven Oaks.
Aided by some seriously good-smelling soap, Violet returns to Seven Oaks and continues on her quest to keep the students from killing themselves.
Meanwhile, Lily develops a relationship with Adam Brody’s Fred Packenstacker.
Deemed as an operator by British friend Rose, Packenstacker turns out to be much more of a character than originally presumed.
So much of “Damsels in Distress'” comes from Stillman’s stellar screenplay. With finese and precision, Stillman crafts a casual story that feels as if it is plucked out of a “Take Ivy” catalogue.
While Stillman’s dialogue may seem too long-winded and dry for some, only the most observant of patrons will catch all of the film’s truly funny one-liners.
Just like he did in “Metropolitan” and “The Last Days of Disco” Whit Stillman has constructed an entire cinematic world built upon the foundations of quirky characters with sharp tongues.
As the collegiate world morphs from a land of cardigans and cufflinks to a sea of neon tanks and beer pong, Stillman reminds his audience just how angelic, charming and pleasant college life used to be.
