REVIEW: Damsels in Distress

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

After a 13-year absence from the big screen, writer/director Whit Stillman (The Last Days of Disco) has returned with a screwball comedy that feels like it was transported here from the 1940s. Currently playing in limited release, Damsels in Distress is a bit of a departure for the filmmaker, though it still contains his usual pet theme of preppy young adults experiencing love while navigating the complex rules of the upper class. While certainly not for everyone, those who enjoy quirky characters and clever wordplay will find plenty to enjoy.

Ostensibly taking place in the present day (though it seems like a bizarre, alternate-universe version of the modern world), the story focuses on several young women who attend the prestigious Seven Oaks College. Its past as a men-only school is obvious in both rules and behavior, so the titular damsels take it upon themselves to improve students’ lives as a kind of self-appointed service project.

Violet (Greta Gerwig), the group’s leader, along with cohorts Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and Heather (Carrie MacLemore), attempt this through a strange and funny regimen of good hygiene and tap dancing. Only after welcoming transfer student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their group do they realize that their methods might not be matching their intent.

That description makes it sound like Damsels in Distress has a straightforward plot when that’s far from the truth. The scenes just sort of flow into each other until the movie ends with a big musical number (yep, you read that correctly). Not a bad thing by any means – especially since there are so many hilarious one-liners to focus on – but it might leave the casual moviegoer wondering what the heck is going on.

An unconventional film like this one would be a disaster with the wrong actors; fortunately, Stillman chose wisely. Gerwig, an indie queen who is slowly breaking into the mainstream through supporting roles, is the big star, getting plenty of chances to show her character’s insanity (some might generously call her eccentric), quick wit and fancy footwork.

Tipton also shines thanks to her low-key acting, distinctive beauty and her character’s tendency to serve as the voice of reason despite some weird personality traits of her own. Echikunwoke, MacLemore and Adam Brody are also good in small but important roles.

Some might find Damsels in Distress a slog because the characters are often arrogant or unlikable, but I think Stillman addresses that in a blunt and humorous way. What I found more irritating is how much the flick is in love with its own quirkiness. There are times when the twee borders on insufferable (like the character who somehow made it to college without learning colors), but that seems to be rampant in many of today’s indie films.

I’m not sure if most would consider this one worthy of the drive to Atlanta, but it’s a good choice for those looking for something outside their generic blockbuster comfort zone. Others can give it a chance once it hits Redbox or Netflix.

Damsels in Distress is rated PG-13 for mature thematic content including some sexual material.

Grade: B-