Comedy,Drama
United States of America
Metropolitan is a 1990 American independent comedy-drama film written and directed by Whit Stillman. The film follows a group of young and wealthy college students in Manhattan who gather together during the winter break to attend various social events and parties. The lead character, Tom Townsend, is a middle-class student who is invited into this world of upper-class affluence.
Tom is initially uncomfortable with the self-importance and lack of self-awareness of the other characters but is eventually able to bond with them, particularly with a young woman named Audrey Rouget. Audrey is a member of the group who is also questioning the values of her privileged background.
Throughout the film, the characters discuss their philosophy and views on society, often referencing the works of French socialist Charles Fourier, while also engaging in upper-class rituals like debutante balls and fancy dinner parties. However, their world is disrupted by the arrival of Nick Smith, an old friend of some of the characters who challenges their assumptions and values.
The film received critical acclaim for its witty dialogue and perceptive observations of New York's elite. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and won at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival. Metropolitan is often considered to be the first in Stillman's "trilogy" of films exploring the lives of young and affluent urbanites, followed by Barcelona (1994) and The Last Days of Disco (1998).
