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:

Violet Wister's Damsels in Distress

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$58,589, 8 April 2012, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,007,535, 19 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

Early in the movie a there's a sign hanging in the Suicide Prevention Center that reads "Come on, it's not that bad". Later in the movie there is a doughnut shaped sign reading "the Donuts are reserved for the suicidal and clinically depressed"

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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

Violet: [From Trailer] Our aspirations are pretty basic - take a guy who hasn't realized his full potential - or doesn't even have much...
Heather: Someone like Frank!
Violet: Yes. Then help them realize it or find more.

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Crazy Credits

Apologies to Johann Strauss Jr. - the Waltz James P. Johnson - the Charleston Ernest 'Chubby Checker' Evans - the Twist

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Alternate Versions

The BBFC in the UK originally classified the film with a 15 rating, but later classified a modified version of the film with a 12 rating, which had some of the stronger sexual references removed.

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Connections

References La Grande Illusion (1937)

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Soundtracks

Weekend Lover
Written by Victoria Aitken, Lee Dagger & Marc JB
Performed by Victoria Aitken

User Reviews

It's kind of like

Mean Girls' older sister that went to college, got an awesome biting, dry sense or humor; and got some wicked analytical skills to go along with it. This was just such an adorable and intelligent movie, both extolling the virtues of the undergrad experience while simultaneously panning it. At first, the movie may lose you with its irreverent randomness and quirkiness. Personally, I recommend at least one re-watch, to which it will become more clear and you'll be able to appreciate it more. This movie is one of those movies that has near unlimited replay value so that should be quite easy to do. Although nearly everyone was perfect in their roles, Greta Gerwig as Violet stands out. She's just pseudo deep in a sarcastic spirit that is tough to pull off while acting. The male characters are well done also but play in the background, which is actually kind of refreshing since many movies like this fall victim to sexism, or at least "boy craziness" of the presumably straight female characters. Overall, bravo, brava for this example of a deep, "slow-moving" comedy aimed at us young folk... not many like it these days.