Damsels in Distress (2011)

A trio of girls set out to change the male-dominated environment of the Seven Oaks college campus, and to rescue their fellow students from depression, grunge and low standards of every kind.

Director:

Whit Stillman

Writer:

Whit Stillman (screenplay)

Stars:

Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Greta Gerwig	...	Violet
Carrie MacLemore	...	Heather
Megalyn Echikunwoke	...	Rose
Analeigh Tipton	...	Lily
Ryan Metcalf	...	Frank
Jermaine Crawford	...	Jimbo
Caitlin FitzGerald	...	Priss
Zach Woods	...	Rick DeWolfe
Domenico D'Ippolito	...	Complainer Student
Nick Blaemire	...	Freak Astaire
Aubrey Plaza	...	Depressed Debbie
Hugo Becker	...	Xavier
Meredith Hagner	...	Alice
Joe Coots	...	Barman
Adam Brody	...	Fred Packenstacker / Charlie Walker

Storyline

Violet and her two cohorts attempt to help their "less-fortunate" students at Seven Oaks College - primarily by running a Suicide Prevention Centre and offering their off-beat advice whenever they get a chance. Violet's newest rescue is transfer student, Lily, and Violet wants to teach her how to talk and dress properly, and how to select appropriate men to be interested in. Along their way in helping everybody at the college, the damsels teach the fraternity doofi to hit the books, they get their hearts broken, but then attempt to start an international dance craze.

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Plot Keywords:

college | college campus | fraternity | depression | dance craze | 

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Taglines:

Help them this spring.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content including some sexual material

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 2012 (France)

Also Known As:

Chicas en conflicto

Filming Locations:

Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$58,589 (USA) (6 April 2012)

Gross:

$1,007,535 (USA) (17 August 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Westerly Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lena Dunham auditioned for a role in this film.

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Goofs

Frank insists his eyes can't be blue since not everything he sees is blue, not knowing that light enters through a hole in each blue iris.

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Quotes

Depressed Debbie: [about Violet] I suppose now she'll want the doughnuts too.

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Crazy Credits

The spelling of 'doufi' is non-standard, but preferred.

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Connections

References Le docteur Jivago (1965)

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Soundtracks

Devil with Heart
Performed by Lucy Jules

User Reviews

Not a movie for dumb people, it's droll in the best sense of the word

Fantastic little gem, and come back film from writer/director Whit Stillman. It's not as ambitious in scope as his previous films, but the writing is as sharp as ever, and all the actresses are phenomenal.

For the uninitiated, this a dialogue driven film. The humor is all deadpan and dry, not to mention quirky as hell. As always Stillman tackles very human issues within the confines of a very specific environment, with very specific characters, most people will never encounter. That's part of what makes his movies so special, that they can be so offbeat yet be anyone can relate to them, if they are open to it.

This is the kind of film that many people will either dismiss as boring, those in this camp I have no use for, or pretentious, those in this camp, I understand, but that's the appeal.

Give it a shot and let the dialogue wash over your, just don't expect a typical plot.