Nobody seems to get it. The things they complain are about are exactly what makes it funny -- it's a satire.
The characters are completely cut off from anything resembling reality. That's the point. They're upperclass twits who have been sheltered all their lives and are living in some sort of fantasy world where the things they talk about, the views they take which the rest of us would consider devoid of any interest at all, are not only subjects of intense interest but are the things their lives revolve around. They're in college because their parents can afford it. It's a social world. Like the characters of the three films that came before, their entire lives are driven by social interaction, even their professional lives.
Witness the (funniest) line where the airhead Heather learns about Sisyphus. Her reaction when she hears what the myth of Sisyphus consists of is "Knucklehead". As if Sisyphus CHOSE to roll the rock up the mountain only to have it roll back down every time. Divorcement from any reality. How does someone get to college without knowing who Sisyphus is, or, for that matter, what colors are what (without being actually color blind)? And NOT actually be stupid?
The girls are actually smart, but they're so enclosed in their own world that they have no value to the world outside. The best they can do to further the advancement of mankind is to invent a dance craze. If you don't think that's funny, you're better off at the remake of The Three Stooges.
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denniskriz
12 years ago
I did like (and remember) Last Days of Disco, so I came expecting an enjoyable young adult film and was _not_ disappointed.
I admire Witt Stillman's ability to capture the "certainty" of young adulthood.
Having been a young adult once and having worked with young adults for many years since, I just loved the dialogue in the film.
Yes, it's exaggerated but it's close enough to the way that young people think / talk that it's just awesome.
SPOILER ALERT
Consider simply the first donut scene. They give the guy coming in a donut. Why? Because that's what "the manual" or "studies" said they were supposed to do.
When it turns out that the guy's only seeking information (and not suicidal or even depressed) they quickly take the donut away even though he already took a bite out of it already. Again, why? "Well we're a non-profit and our sponsors are very strict about these sorts of things..."
It's hilarious but I do think it mimics really well how a conscientious 20 year old will act. There are rules. You follow them. Why? Because they're probably good rules...
Then there is the whole "Cathar" scene ... Conscientious Lily (and she's the most skeptical of the bunch) is just too nice to tell the guy that he's turning out to be _way too weird_. (And remember that his original girlfriend had suddenly dumped him, probably at the very same unexpected point of decision as Lily suddenly found herself in...). That's exactly why teens and young adults often end up making some fairly big mistakes. Why? Because they just don't know yet what they don't know.
Again, just a great, great young adult film ...
Fr. Dennis Kriz, OSM
http://frdennismoviereviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/damsels-in-distress.h tml
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melatkey
12 years ago
I thought there was a bit of a Jane Austin feel to it (i.e. Emma). Loved it.
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trisul
12 years ago
Thanks so much for this explanation. I did not even smile once throughout the movie, although it was patently obvious that it was meant to be funny. I found it boring to the extreme. I now understand that it was a most competently delivered boredom, and I am much relieved.
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