Damsels in Distress

Name: Damsels in Distress
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Released: April 6, 2012
Duration: 99 min
Rating: 67
Cast: Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton, Carrie MacLemore, Greta Gerwig, Megalyn Echikunwoke

2012

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Generally favorable reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews

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Damsels In Distress

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: April 6, 2012 | PG-13

Starring: Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton, Carrie MacLemore, Greta Gerwig, Megalyn Echikunwoke

Summary: Damsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast College – the dynamic leader Violet Wister, principled Rose and sexy Heather. They welcome transfer student Lily into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical danceDamsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast College – the dynamic leader Violet Wister, principled Rose and sexy Heather. They welcome transfer student Lily into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series
of men -- including slick Charlie, dreamboat Xavier and the mad frat
pack of Frank and Thor—who threaten the girls’ friendship and sanity. (Sony Pictures Classics)… Expand

Director: Whit Stillman

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 99 min

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Critic Reviews

Noel Murray

Apr 1, 2012

Even though I'm not sure I understand what Stillman was going for minute-to-minute, I was swept away by how original Damsels is, and how funny. Read full review

Miriam Bale

Apr 3, 2012

The clash of styles in Damsels in Distress is bewildering and then disarming. Read full review

Keith Uhlich

Apr 3, 2012

Too many movies come to us as preordained cult objects - this is the real deal. Read full review

Anthony Lane

Apr 2, 2012

Given the earnest mayhem that prevails at your local multiplex, there is surely a place for a lightly mocking modernist with a growing distaste for the modern. [9 April 2012, p.84]

Wesley Morris

Apr 19, 2012

These are women who seemed raised on Louisa May Alcott and might have been aspirationally besotted with Jane Austen. But you sense tragedy looming. They're hurtling, inexorably, toward Tennessee Williams. Read full review

Boxoffice Magazine Joseph Jon Lanthier

Apr 1, 2012

While the scenario has all the smirking charm of Stillman's earlier movies, the sobering realities of off-campus life are never even alluded to, and the humor of insularity eventually becomes stifling. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Apr 13, 2012

You can almost say it simulates an experience of brain injury in the audience: Nothing adheres, nothing connects. It's just nonstop cuteness, poses and emptiness - with nothing logically following from one moment to the next. It would be exaggerating to call it torture, and yet why split hairs? Read full review

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User Reviews

Rick123

Jun 2, 2015

DAMSELS IN DISTRESS is a very unique film that takes the college comedy formula and turns it on its head. Stillman does not go for the cliche storyline that so many films like this follow. He deviates from that, but in doing so, he gives us one of the most original and witty films inDAMSELS IN DISTRESS is a very unique film that takes the college comedy formula and turns it on its head. Stillman does not go for the cliche storyline that so many films like this follow. He deviates from that, but in doing so, he gives us one of the most original and witty films in recent memory. So many lines are memorable in this film and I found myself smiling throughout. Greta Gerwig is very charming as Violet who runs the suicide prevention center. Violet earnestly believes that tap dancing is a cure for depression and tries to get a dance craze of her own started. Her sincerity is fun to watch and the other characters deliver great one liners after the next. I highly suggest you seek this film out, but don't expect some rehash of the genre. It is a highly original film with a strong and funny voice that is worth repeat viewings.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

RUCB_Alum

Feb 24, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. On first viewing, I was slightly bored with this rendering of campus life as Stillman had already produced work on similar enough themes with far more wit. The closing dance number ("Dress Rehearsal") was under-practiced and it is clear that our actors are actors, not dancers.

And then I watched it again. And I liked it much, much more. I like it more every time I watch it. What a strange characteristic that is for any movie to have.

Stillman has the beginnings of a new stock of actors and he could potentially go very far with Tipton, Gerwig and Echikunwoke. [Tipton's solitary walk home after being introduced to the Cathar way of expressing love is perfectly done. And I can there be any doubt that a movie with Chloe Sevigny and Gerwig as decade apart sisters is brewing somewheres.] In terms of moving on, Stillman will have to since his old actors have aged out of their ticket selling q while he has been away. Fortunately, Taylor Nichols and Carolyn Farina are onboard for cameos. One can hope that Mr. Stillman has a script about post-college and post-first job out of college issues that he will get the money to produce. I would definitely go....I just might not enjoy the first viewing.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

j30

May 9, 2012

I found Damsels In Distress hilarious and one of the best comedies I've seen recently. The dialogue is razor sharp, the actresses are great, particularly Greta Gerwig's character. I admit there's probably one dead spot in the film, but it quickly picks up where it left off.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

MarcDoyle

Apr 9, 2012

I'd put it in 4th of Stillman's four films. There are 2 or 3 absolutely hilarious/absurd moments, but they certainly don't carry the rest of the film for me. Style and verbal cadence can only take you so far without a solid narrative foundation. I eagerly anticipated this film but wasI'd put it in 4th of Stillman's four films. There are 2 or 3 absolutely hilarious/absurd moments, but they certainly don't carry the rest of the film for me. Style and verbal cadence can only take you so far without a solid narrative foundation. I eagerly anticipated this film but was sadly a touch bored by it all.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

CitizenCharlie

Apr 17, 2012

Damsels in Distress is perhaps the most pretentious screenplay ever filmed. I imagine there was a more comprehensible first draft and then writer/director Whit Stillman (The Last Days of Disco) pulled the thesaurus off the shelf and went to work. These damsels come across more asDamsels in Distress is perhaps the most pretentious screenplay ever filmed. I imagine there was a more comprehensible first draft and then writer/director Whit Stillman (The Last Days of Disco) pulled the thesaurus off the shelf and went to work. These damsels come across more as ridiculous caricatures than actual flesh and blood characters; nobody could retain any sort of patience around people who talk nonsense the way these girls do. Lily (Analeigh Tipton) arrives as a new transfer student to Seven Oaks University. During orientation, a group of girls seemingly pick her out at random to join their group; perhaps it is because her name fits the floral naming scheme. Violet (Greta Gerwig) is the leader of the bunch followed by her one-dimensional acolytes, Heather (Carrie MacLemore) and Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke). Violet talks incessantly about the goals of the group which include finding and improving boys who are not particularly good looking or intelligent and staffing the volunteer Suicide Prevention Center. The answer as to why a somewhat normal Lily would so eagerly say yes to joining up with this gang and rooming with them is not forthcoming, but then again, there would be no film if she did not.

Seven Oaks is not your normal university. Instead of a Greek system, they have Roman Letter Houses. So many students are depressed that they take to jumping off the roof of the education building; unfortunately it is only two stories tall so instead of killing themselves they only maim. As for suicide prevention, the route to recovery is neither mood altering pills or talk therapy, but tap dancing led by an instructor calling himself Freak Astaire (Nick Blaemire). I told you; pretentious beyond belief.

The damsels have incredibly keen senses of smell and frequently sniff soap whenever unhygienic dorm dwellers walk by. They are also exceptionally open and frank about their feelings. Violet thanks Lily for chastising her for being hypocritical about arrogance and routinely references Lily as better looking and skinnier. This sounds duplicitous on Violetâ… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

GreatMartin

Apr 27, 2012

It is said that you should never hit a person when they are down and I am not sure if the same applies to a movie so I will be short. "Dasmels in Distress" will definitely be on my list of the year's worst films if not #1.

The director doesn't direct his actors how to talk, walk or how toIt is said that you should never hit a person when they are down and I am not sure if the same applies to a movie so I will be short. "Dasmels in Distress" will definitely be on my list of the year's worst films if not #1.

The director doesn't direct his actors how to talk, walk or how to get a scene across. I would like to think it was a generational gap but from the first shot you want to slap the leading actress. Oh yes the film was written and directed by the same person and I don't think the director talked to the writer.

It was good seeing Adam Brody on the large screen and of the rest of the cast only Megalyn Echikunwoke impressed me.

Put this on your 'must not see' list.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

elleakaye

Jun 12, 2012

I had really high hopes for this film, but they were all crushed. To give you a better sense of how it made me felt, I literally looked over at my aunt who went to see the film with me, and said "That was painful". I understand some people who watch this film are faithful to theI had really high hopes for this film, but they were all crushed. To give you a better sense of how it made me felt, I literally looked over at my aunt who went to see the film with me, and said "That was painful". I understand some people who watch this film are faithful to the writer/director Whit Stillman, but after this, I will never watch any other films of his. What I thought was going to be a cute romantic comedy turned out to be a pretentious mess. Although I have much love for Analeigh Tipton, her part in the film served almost no purpose. Instead it followed Violet, Greta Gerwig, who is extremely unconvincing as the confident lead of a group of young girls. So much of the editing is long and drawn out. This film is filled with so many fade to black transitions that I began counting them. The film's soundtrack was absolutely horrid featuring the same music track in almost every scene. Also, this film was filled with so many cliches and horrible writing. I think one of these reviews says it best, "I imagine there was a more comprehensible first draft and then writer/director Whit Stillman (The Last Days of Disco) pulled the thesaurus off the shelf and went to work." I also know that other people in the theater shared the same sentiment as by the time the film ended, the theatre was nearly half as filled as when I walked in. If you want to watch this film to feel good about your intelligence level and pretentiousness go right on ahead, but I won't drink the Kool-Aid and instead will say that "Bio-Dome" is far more entertaining than this film would ever be.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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