Metropolitan

 Year of Release:  1990

Director:  Whit Stillman

Screenplay:  Whit Stillman

Starring:  Carolyn Farina, Edward Clements, Chris Eigeman, Taylor Nichols, Allison Parisi,  Dylan Hundley, Isabel Gillies, Bryan Leder, Will Kempe

Running Time:  98 minutes

Genre: Comedy, drama

Over the Christmas season in New York City, middle-class socialist Tom Townsend (Clements) accidentally gets mixed up with "The Sally Fowler Rat Pack", a group of wealthy, young socialites, who spend their time going to debutante balls, endless afterparties and trying to hook up with each other.  Despite his initial objection to their conspicuous wealth and materialism, Tom soon finds himself drawn into the circle.

This marked the debut of writer-director Whit Stillman, who became quite a shining star on the American Indie scene during the 1990s.  This is basically F. Scott Fitzgerald updated to the 1990s.  Not much really happens plot-wise, one of the group falls in love with Tom, who doesn't reciprocate her affections because he is in love with someone else.  Everyone is young, beautiful, rich and witty.  Although it does gently satirise it's characters, how much you enjoy the film will really depends on how much you can connect with these extremely privileged, white, one-percenters.  The film is funny in places and the Oscar-nominated screenplay is quite clever, and the mostly unknown cast do well.  I kind of liked it, but it could have done with more bite.

Welcome to The Sally Fowler Rat Pack in Metropolitan