The Last Days of Disco
THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO (1998)
Starring Chloe Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale, Chris Eigeman, Matt Keeslar, Mackenzie Astin, Matthew Ross, Tara Subkoff, Burr Steers, David Thornton, Jaid Barrymore, Michael Weatherly, Robert Sean Leonard and Jennifer Beals.
Screenplay by Whit Stillman.
Directed by Whit Stillman.
Distributed by Castle Rock Entertainment. 114 minutes. Rated R.
Writer/director Whit Stillman may seem a strange choice to chronicle the disco phenomenon. After all, his previous films Metropolitan and Barcelona were all about calm, repressive upper crust kids. So it would seem a strange fit to drop them into the bacchanalian disco scene.
It turns out to be a great fit, though. This film, set in 1980, already well into the “disco sucks” phase, shows a bunch of budding yuppies trying to convince themselves they are wilder and more dangerous than they ever could be.
As always, Stillman’s ear for dialogue is right on. The acting is superb, particularly British actress Kate Beckinsale, who does a spot on New Yawk accent and is fantastic as a bitchy clubgoer. Stillman regular Chris Eigemann once again steals the film as a personally and professionally insecure disco manager. This film about disco misfits captures the phenomenon in a way that 54 could only dream about.
Jay S. Jacobs
Copyright ©1998 PopEntertainment.com All rights reserved. Posted: June 12, 1998.