The Criterion Collection #485 - The Last Days of Disco

The Last Days of Disco (1998)

Whit Stillman

• United States / 113 Minutes / 1.78:1 / English
• 1 Disc Release with Commentary, Trailer, Deleted Scenes, Interviews
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• The third part of Stillman's so-called "yuppie" trilogy (the first two being Metropolitan [also available on Criterion] and Barcelona), The Last Days of Disco is a film about the end of an era. Although the film essentially deals with the death rattle of disco, it also extensively focuses on the importance of self. While it's filled with snappy dialogue that's entertaining, intelligent, and intriguing, there's a sense of accessibility with the characters -- a sense that the viewer could occupy, or have occupied, the facade of one of these people at one point in their lives. Each of the main characters are going through a period of realization and questioning, although not always on the same level or at the same pace. Nevertheless, it's an interesting film that most people can relate to, regardless of whether they were around the early 1980s themselves.

While the film has an interesting premise, there's much to be said about its execution. Stillman wrote the screenplay as well as directed the film, and he could have benefited from some outside intervention in the process. There are loopholes galore in the story line itself, and while it's not really that difficult of a narrative to follow, it jumps around awkwardly and leaves several things unfinished and unresolved. The dialogue at times is too chic and tries too hard to be intellectual, but that's to be expected in a film about former Harvard socialites attempting to live out the glamour lifestyle of Manhattan as twentysomethings. Some of the characters are impossible to like, which normally wouldn't be a problem, but it's clear that Stillman wanted them to have some admirable characteristics. There are also some flaws in the film's resolution, which contains an ending that seems too trite for a film of this caliber.

But as a whole, regardless of the flaws of the film, it's still an enjoyable experience. Although it runs at just shy of two hours, it's not one of those pieces that you can't wait to end. It's consistently intriguing and mostly rewarding, and it's fun to watch the shenanigans and hardships some of the characters do end up enduring. Chloe Sevigny plays her part as Alice wonderfully just as she does with every girl she's ever portrayed on screen, and it's fun to watch television stars like Robert Leonard (House) and Jennifer Beals (The Chicago Code) in earlier movie roles. Kate Beckinsale shows some surprising acting chops considering her choices in roles after this film, and Christopher Eigman shows why he was one of the best and most under-appreciated/under-utilized actors of the 1990s. It's also a shame that Tara Subkoff had such a minor role in this film, as her character Holly is one of the most endearing roles this film has to offer.

All in all, The Last Days of Disco is a good film, but it could have been so much better. It basically could have been the Reality Bites of the Disco generation, but it got caught up too much in the rhetoric to really make much of an impact. Boogie Nights is a far better examination of the disco period, even though it focused much less on the music and much more on the pornography -- and that's saying something. It's a shame that Stillman hasn't done anything since this film's release (until this year), because he does have considerable talent, but it's kind of that Quentin Tarantino talent where you're not really sure what you're going to get with each film because it's all over the place. Still, if you're a film buff, you probably should see this at some point.

Movie Rating: ***+ (3.5/5)

[Interesting dialog, excellent casting, good acting, good editing, thought-provoking storyline]

DVD Rating: ****+ (4.5/5)

[Great presentation, interesting commentary]