and a humility that disarms any impulse to resent it
Observe! The fast-talking, academically stilted, emotionally oblivious discourse of the “urban haute bourgeoisie.”
No, no, not all of it, just the cavalier cab talk and aphorism bandying. Actually, this conversation isn’t exactly ‘stilted.’ Maybe it’s the levity that’s getting my goat because it seems unkind and inappropriately out of context but these characters are fleeing the country, after all, so perhaps their nerves are just bidding them roll off (manipulative, self-defeating) ideas so seemingly flippantly (“Maybe there’s a higher loyalty… The way I see it: Brutus was a good friend to Caesar”) or perhaps I just distrust anyone who so easily talks about ‘thine own self’ being ‘not so good.’
But seriously, folks! The Last Days of Disco is an awesome movie. How did I not know of Whit Stillman before? Maybe if my seeing his other movies proves my theory true, I’ll be able to justifiably say he reminds me of Mike Nichols, but leaves me feeling less hopeful. On the positive side regarding this movie: Characters evolve, viewpoints change! On the negative side: Long-winded, often epigrammatically barbed and thus interesting, witty and alluring dialogue deceptively succeeds as a stand-in for emotional intelligence and golden rule kindness. How depressing! Also of much interest and equal cause for depression in this movie is the general theme of privilege and all the perquisites (financial safety!) and detriments (everything else! because money guarantees nothing!… except shelter, food and everything else essential to survival, which I have no business knocking in my Little Women-ish poverty) thereof. I want to say that ultimately the main characters in this movie are good people who sometimes act foolishly or unintentionally hurtfully and certainly there are no villains, only humans, entertaining dialogue and music I never thought I could love and hence: Five stars!
Aaaand that’s my train station at 0:55…
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