Neil Young's Film Lounge

For Tribune : Whit Stillman’s ‘Metropolitan’ (1990) [8/10]

the following was written for the May 18th 2006 edition of Tribune magazine, on the occasion of Metropolitan's UK re-issue

CITY OF CULTURE
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Metropolitan
USA 1990
Starring : Carolyn Farina, Edward Clements
Director : Whit Stillman
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ONE of the more unexpected – and welcome – re-releases of 2006 is Metropolitan, Whit Stillman's brilliantly-observed comedy of Manhattan manners among what the characters themselves refer to, only partly in jest, as the 'UHB': the 'Urban Haute-Bourgeoisie'. We're taken into a self-consciously anachronistic world of debutantes, titled Euro-trash and Ivy League graduates: over-educated and over-articulate early-twentysomethings whose intricate social networks must be negotiated with the utmost care and diligence. Into this milieu stumbles the relatively down-at-heel Tom Townsend (Clements), whose instinctive mistrust for 'preppie' values is softened by the gamine charms of Jane Austen devotee Audrey Rouget (Farina)…

In synopsis, Metropolitan sounds less than inviting: many may wonder why on earth we should care a jot about these spoiled, solipsistic little rich kids and their ever-so-petty squabbles. For one thing, the film is consistently funny: Stillman is essentially a comic writer, and there's dry humour in even the most emotionally bruising of encounters. His verbose characters trade aphorisms that would amuse both Wilde and Woody ("When you're an egotist, the harm you do is never intentional"), though we soon realise that the people who say the most are the ones with the least to say. But Stillman's delineation and development of his characters is done with a sensitivity and intelligence that prevents them from being mere mouthpieces: beneath the layers of artifice, we can sense the beating of very real hearts.

Expertly played by a remarkably youthful and inexperienced cast – who have somehow remained unknowns all these years later – Metropolitan quickly became something of a cult favourite (both here and in the States) on its initial release. It was even nominated for the Best Original Screenplay Oscar (losing to Ghost, of all things) and Stillman went on to confirm the promise of his debut with 1994's Barcelona and 1998's The Last Days of Disco. Since then, rumours of numerous projects have regularly surfaced, only to tantalisingly fade from view. But while we patiently await the next mini-masterpiece from this singular talent, at least we have the chance to once again luxuriate in Metropolitan on the big screen.

Neil Young