Gothamist Presents: An Evening with Whit Stillman, Chris Eigeman, and Metropolitan
August 27, 2012
At Nitehawk Cinema
After the screening of "Metropolitan" at Nitehawk, Gothamist's Jen Chung moderates a Q&A between director Whit Stillman and actor Chris Eigeman.
METROPOLITAN
A droll tale of the tragically overbred, it teases the bored and endangered debutante society of Park Avenue. Most films about the upper classes are studies in us vs. them, farces in which blue collar bests blueblood every time. But "Metropolitan," a preppie-made film, finds the upper crust is light and flaky, crumbling of its own accord. "People of our background are doomed to failure," observes Charlie (Taylor Nichols), the most outspoken of a clique of young socialites, none of whom has a driver's license. "This must be how the incompetence starts -- being unable to master the commonplace practices of everyday life." Whit Stillman, who wrote and directed this anthropological comedy of manners, approaches his material with both an insider's affection and contempt for his own kind. The characters are overwrought as Kentucky thoroughbreds, an absurd, narrow-brained passel of fast brats with wits slowed in the passionate pursuit of inbreeding. What passes for friendship is only shared arrogance. "Metropolitan" brings the little people into its world but keeps the rooms roped off with velvet cord. It's a low-budget look at the well heeled, a bit of nouveau decadence, whimpering, tastefully faded and a bit wan. The rich, it wants to say, are like you and me, only with better manners.
