Film Review: The Last Days of Disco (1998)

If there is a modern-day American film maker that could be described as “Jane Austen of Hollywood”, it is Whit Stillman. His best known works provide uncompromising social analysis cleverly disguised as light-hearted romantic comedies. Stillman, just like Jane Austen, belongs to what could be described as an upper strata of American society and the subject of his best films is set in that particular milieu. That includes his 1998 film The Last Days of Disco.

Partially inspired by Stillman’s own life in New York City during 1970s and 1980s, the film is set in “very early 1980s”, the end of the era marked by disco music, easily available drugs, still ongoing sexual revolution and other trends that would be gone in years of Reagan and AIDS. The plot is relatively loose and consists of series of vignettes dealing mostly about two best friends that have graduated from Hampshire College and trying to start their careers in Manhattan by working in publishing company – Alice Kinnon (played by Chloë Sevigny) and Charlotte Pingress (played by Kate Beckinsale). They also share an apartment and also spend large amount of their time in exclusive night club where they enjoy in dancing and disco music. This is also opportunity to meet and interact with various men that revolve around them. Those include their collegue Dan Powers (played by Matthew Ross) who criticises Alice and Charlotte but nevertheless starts dating their room mate Holly (played by Tara Subkoff); Des McGrath (played by Chris Eigeman), manager at the club who abuses his position to bring friends in the club but nevertheless has trouble bringing young advertising executive Jimmy Steinway (played by Mackenzie Astin), whose profession is object of hatred by club’s owner Bernie (played by David Thornton); promiscuous enviromental lawyer Tom Platt (played by Robert Sean Leonard) and young prosecutor Josh Neff (played by Matt Keeslar) who happens to investigate improper dealings within the club.

Viewers accustomed to Hollywood conventions would notice that The Last Days of the Disco, despite the title and the setting, features significantly more talking than dancing. Stillman, however, knows that the spirit of certain era can be better captured through dialogue than through cheap and simplistic pandering to nostalgia in form of music, fashion and props. What character say throughout the film, often in form of dry but humorous observations, serves not only as exposition but also as source as entertainment for the audience. Stillman also made deliberate and, in hindsight, the right choice to cast relatively unknown young actors instead of stars. The Last Days of Disco is thus more realistic because the actors plays characters who, just like them, are at the start of their professional careers. The film also serves as a very good ensemble piece with few characters or cast members overshadowing each other. While Kate Beckinsale uses a lot of her natural charm in subversive ways, portraying extrovert but shallow and often cruel Charlotte, Chloë Sevigny with her less than glamorous look is more effective and memorable as introvert Alice. Stillman’s old associate Chris Eigeman makes very good impression in complex role of morally challenged but ultimately likeable Des and the same can be said of Matt Keeslar in the role of sometime eccentric character who is given the best lines. The Last Days of Disco compromises its dry observational style with over-sentimental and kitschy final scene that panders to nostalgia. Despite these flaws, it is still an entertaining and very good comedy that could be recommended even to those who care little about disco music and aren’t particularly nostalgic towards 1970s or early 1980s.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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