Warning: do not see this movie unless you are feeling intellectually alert. There's no violence, no major conflict, no overarching plot and no dramatic or severe characters.
But, if you are feeling intellectually alert, this movie is one of the most fun movies I've ever seen. Whit Stillman fans will recognize the quirky dialogue and references to Metropolitan and Barcelona, and people new to Whit Stillman... well, people new to Whit Stillman need to find out what they've been missing. Last Days of Disco doesn't offer anything particularly new to the genre - it is at least 95% intellectual bantar, with little plot or scenery to distract you from the conversation. But it is my favorite of the genre, if for no other reason then for what I felt were better and more developed characters, particularly the wonderfully tormented Des. Certain moments in this movie last better in my mind then Metropolitan and Barcelona - the debate over Lady and the Tramp, for instance, or Des' discourse on "to thine own self be true" ("everybody assumes that 'thine own self' is a good thing to be... what if it's not? What if 'thine own self' is fundamentally bad? Should we still be true to it?")
All told, this movie isn't spectacular - I'm not sure any Wilt Stillman movie could ever be called that - but it is interesting and amusing, which is more his style. If you're a fan of intellectual comedy, you'll like it.
But, if you are feeling intellectually alert, this movie is one of the most fun movies I've ever seen. Whit Stillman fans will recognize the quirky dialogue and references to Metropolitan and Barcelona, and people new to Whit Stillman... well, people new to Whit Stillman need to find out what they've been missing. Last Days of Disco doesn't offer anything particularly new to the genre - it is at least 95% intellectual bantar, with little plot or scenery to distract you from the conversation. But it is my favorite of the genre, if for no other reason then for what I felt were better and more developed characters, particularly the wonderfully tormented Des. Certain moments in this movie last better in my mind then Metropolitan and Barcelona - the debate over Lady and the Tramp, for instance, or Des' discourse on "to thine own self be true" ("everybody assumes that 'thine own self' is a good thing to be... what if it's not? What if 'thine own self' is fundamentally bad? Should we still be true to it?")
All told, this movie isn't spectacular - I'm not sure any Wilt Stillman movie could ever be called that - but it is interesting and amusing, which is more his style. If you're a fan of intellectual comedy, you'll like it.
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