Damsel (I) (2018) User Reviews

An odd western experience

[eddie_baggins · 5/10 · 20 August 2019]

The type of Western that you could see the Coen Brothers putting their name behind, Damsel is further proof that there's life in the age-old genre yet as filmmaking duo David and Nathan Zellner take us on a darkly comedic trip to the wild west.

It's not to say Damsel is a roaring success, as its slowly paced and rather emotion-free experience is often far too ponderous and cold for its own good, but the twisting, turning and non-conforming tale the Zellner's have created is an odd beast that is sure to find its fair share of fans amongst the many likely detractors.

Filmed in the eye-capturing surrounds of the American wilds, Damsel is a pretty sight indeed that's anchored by creative actors Mia Wasikowska and Robert Pattinson, as the two young lovers reunite after years apart, as the Zellner's take us on a zany journey through a time and place that was filled with more than its fair portion of colourful and cuckoo characters, all on a quest to find meaning and purpose in a harsh unforgiving land, filled with much promise and even more dreaming.

We never really get much of a backstory or foundation of where Wasikowska's competent Penelope or where Pattinson's more dim-witted but well-meaning Samuel Alabaster come from or what shaped them into the people they are as we meet them but it's quite clear we can gather Samuel has been on some type of journey (with a miniature pony in tow), it's just a shame we couldn't get to partake in any of it, as the Zellner's choose not to relay any of this in Damsel's near two hour run-time.

It's a runtime that at times draws to a near halt as the story at the heart of it flows rather slowly and despite the good work of Wasikowska and Pattinson, Damsel struggles to maintain an energy and vibe to keep it going and you do wish that someone like the aforementioned Coen Brothers could've lead the charge here as Damsel feels as though it had the potential to be quite special.

There's brief moments where darkly attuned humour and hilarious encounters (Adams apple comparisons and town hangings) happen throughout Damsel, while David Zellner's side character Parson Henry and other oddball creations add spark to proceedings at certain times but it's not enough to enlighten the film as a whole as you feel as though Damsel missed the opportunity to maximize its unique tale.

Final Say -

Damsel is a curious entry into the western genre with some nice moments of black humor and well-staged strange happenings but overall the Zellner's film ends up being a rather forgettable feature.

2 ½ miniature ponies out of 5

All right western comedy

[Alexander_Blanchett · 6/10 · 17 February 2018]

It was all right but nothing to write home about. Surprisingly funny at times tho. Robert Pattinson gives a solid enough performance, I did not expect that he can do comedy but in that film he did it better than the dramatic scenes that he dramatically overacted. The concept itself was good on paper but the Zellner bros failed with the execution at times. David Zellner gives a very solid performance in the film, possibly the best of the film. Mia Wasikowska was also fine but there were scenes she overacted as well. The soundtrack was pretty good and I liked the general look of the film, not only the cinematography but also the production design was good, although the film apparently had a limited budget. Its still nothing I would desire to watch again any time soon as it did not do anything inspiring (except maybe the narrative, which was at times a bit unexpected) . It had also some cute moments.

Absurd Western Comedy Strange but Beautiful (6.3)

[eberkerbatur · 6/10 · 10 March 2020]

It was very slow and boring at first, especially I found the speech scenes at the beginning of the movie meaningless but I must say it has an interesting topic. When I got a little bored at the beginning of the movie, it got more interesting and fluent as it progressed, it was aroused curiosity, the acting was also very good. Generally speaking, a strange movie is already a western comedy but an absurd comedy movie.

Absurdist take on the old west experience.

[TxMike · 3 November 2018]

My wife and I watched this at home on DVD from our public library. I wanted to see it mainly for the actors, knowing little about the actual story.

It was written and directed by the Zellner brothers, and each has a featured role in the movie. The basic story is a man, Robert Pattinson as Samuel, heads west to find his damsel who he thinks has been kidnapped. He plans to rescue her and ask her to marry him. The damsel is Mia Wasikowska as Penelope.

The opening scene sets the tone, David Zellner plays a man new to the west, fascinated by the prospect of meeting real Indians, and waits for the stagecoach with an old pioneer (Robert Forster) who is tired and headed east. The stagecoach doesn't show up but the old man gives away his belongings including a tattered bible, so the new man takes on the name Parson Henry.

There is no advantage in describing the story in greater detail, suffice to say Samuel has a total misunderstanding of the situation and it doesn't turn out well for him. When the movie was over we were both a bit puzzled as to why this particular story was put to film and what the filmmakers were really trying to accomplish.

I cannot recommend it to anyone I know.

Comedic (North)Western

[twelve-house-books · 7/10 · 12 September 2018]

Much funnier than I imagined it would be. All actors play amazing, well-rounded characters. There is loads of cursing and quite a bit of blood, but overall this film is a cross between the outrageous humor of My Name Is Nobody and the dead seriousness of The Long Riders. This is not one of those "Westerns" where everything is re-imagined into a porno flick (taking us back to the 70s with The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday) or an unbelievable bloodbath (Django Unchained). This is how the West really was--filled with mumbling, bumbling, stumbling real people--most of them nefarious--trying to conquer a vast space of land without community, love for nature or God, and the law of the heart.

A Weird Western tale that kept getting weirder, but better.

[subxerogravity · 6/10 · 25 June 2018]

Perfect for Robert Patterson who is a weird looking guy when not playing a vampire which best fits his face. Of course I only say that cause that was the first time I herd of the dude.

I had a feeling that the damsel was an ironically titled movie and I was right. The synopsis tales a story of a good Christian boy out to save his fiance, and Patterson played this role so perfectly that it somewhat put a fault in the plot. I knew something was coming.

Not a too over the top twist but the low key bizarre done was perfect.

The most dreadfully boring movie I've ever seen

[ezepeda-821-967785 · 1/10 · 26 July 2018]

I work at a small independent theater and almost want to actively discourage people from seeing this. I understand that time and energy went into this but it was just such a waste of time.

Pointless feminist propaganda held up by exceptional technical prowess

[mtrusk · 7/10 · 9 July 2018]

This is "subversionist western" at its least emotional. There's a very good movie somewhere in this script, but the Zellners arent wise enough to execute to their full potential here. The cinematography, score, and acting (especially from David Zellner who channels the best of Woody Harrelson to combine it with a wimpier persona) all shoot well above par, making watching Damsel rather enjoyable. There are isolated moments that approach near perfection, but unlike better Westerns there is not the tonal confidence to glue the rest together. The Zellners set up rather intriguing backstories for the characters only to never explain them and squander the runtime on a three-quarters-baked attempt at cranking up a Coen brothers blend of comedy. It's usually very funny and well meaning, but I can't quite shake the feeling that this movie would have done better without repeated depictions of how strong the lone female character is against a slew of weak-minded males. The message is fine, but the time spent on it and the hammer over the head tone is apalling at times. It feels like they ran out of things to write about in the middle of the second act. In the end this movie gives you a lot to chew on but not much to really sink your teeth into.

Failed comedic farse

[brillig-2 · 1/10 · 6 July 2018]

I went into the theater having not even watched a trailer, so I didn't know what to expect. One of the first scenes showed two men waiting for stage coaches going in opposite directions in a landscape that was hot, dry, and windless (although there was wind whistling in the background). Perhaps that wind noise should have been a hint to me that the movie was supposed to be a farce.

The movie fails as a western. Unfortunately, it also fails as a farce. A farce is supposed to have humor. I didn't laugh or even smile once during the movie. I didn't hear anyone else in the theater laughing either.

Were there any redeeming qualities to the movie? Sure: picturesque cinematography and a nice dance scene.

Don't read further if you intend to see the movie. What follows is spoilers of some of the intended farcical elements. In my opinion, they all fell flat.

Were there farcical moments? Yes: the saloon pianist is Landon Weeks (watch some youtube videos of him for better entertainment), the miniature horse carried a load: a bird cage containing a chicken, a laughing man dressed in a barrel hanged on the gallows (still in his barrel), a man shot from behind in the head while urinating continues urinating after falling backward, bent double-barreled shotgun effectively used as a threat, Bible pages being used for hygiene, man shot through chest with arrow falls on dynamite plunger thus exploding himself....

I found none of these funny or amusing. This movie was easily the worst movie of the year so far for me.

Stimulating

[aidonedoc · 7/10 · 9 February 2021]

Could have stood some better writing, words routinely used that were not of that time. But I liked this film. The characters engaging, flawed. I liked the randomness, and the way the characters played off each other. Worth a watch for sure 👍

A movie in two halves

[smithcaroline-06698 · 5/10 · 29 August 2019]

Such a strange movie. Much like watching two separate movies. At least there were a few laughs to be had in the first half.

A tragic farce.

[buyamonkey · 8/10 · 22 March 2018]

There are very few farces made these days, so people aren't very used to the exaggerated and non-realistic elements of this genre. It's the same reason some of the Coen Brother movies don't connect with mainstream audiences. This time it's the Zellner Brothers, and they double down on the unusual genre elements by making it a farcical western. But if you're down for some off-beat cinema, what the Zellner's do here is pretty fantastic.

As farces do, the story here takes some pretty drastic bait and switch turns as it sets up Pattinson's character as the traditional western hero - yet still gives you signs that all is not right with this guy. Indeed, he's a very bad man. And things get very tragic and slightly disturbing when he meets his love - the damsel who is not in distress until he shows up.

I'll refrain from further spoilers, but I feel like people react to farces like the directors or writers don't know what they're doing. They do. And this one is a good one in that it packs more than one tragic punch by the end. The characters in this movie long to be part of something they can't and being part of. And it being the ruthless wild west, even if they get a moment's peace, it can be quickly taken away by violent men.

I think this one might have legs as a bit of a cult movie, hopefully. It's not for everyone but that's all right. Looking forward to what else these original and imaginative filmmakers will come up with.

The best actor?

[msa-06360 · 6/10 · 17 September 2019]

Interesting, quirky "alternative" Western with enough of a plot and storyline to keep you alert and wondering whether it's a comedy or not. For me, the best actor in this movie was the protagonist's horse (NOT the miniature horse, the regular horse). At one point, he's having a heated conversation with another character, who fires a gun into the air. Everyone else in the scene is rather unfazed by this, and the heated discussion continues. At the sound of the gun being fired, the protagonist's horse, facing them in the background, slowly, surely, and deliberately, starts backing away from the scene, one step at a time, and eventually tries to hide himself behind a tree in the background, although standing up. It's something you kind of have to catch and pay attention to, but my wife and I were ROLLING with laughter. It's honestly one of the funniest things I've ever seen any animal do in any movie, ever. Really, that horse should have gotten some kind of award for doing that. To be honest, that's the scene from this movie that my wife and I still talk and laugh about today.

Definitely different...

[Evastar · 5/10 · 9 November 2020]

...But different in a good way or a bad?? I even bought this movie (still can't believe I did!) on Apple TV, cause I thought it was a romantic movie in Wild West and since I love Pattinson and love Wasikowska, I was pretty sure it would be at least descent. But No. This whole story was a 2-hour-wtf movie. I was literally jaw-dropping and face-palming the whole time -but in a boring way -if possible!!?! But yes, this movie was impossible. Why why why and why did I waste my time and money for this?! And why oh why did these good actors make this movie? What's the meaning of the story? That damsels don't need saving?! Ffs. The only nice thing was the scenery.

Good concept, non-Coen, non-Brooks wit.

[JohnDeSando · 12 July 2018]

"The Old West is not a certain place in a certain time; it's a state of mind. It's whatever you want it to be. -" Tom Mix

I should have liked the Zellner brothers' Western comedy, Damsel, much better than I did. It has elements of Mel Brooks and the Coen brothers when they mine the satire of a genre very long in the tooth. The difference: writing.

Brooks with his inspired goofiness (Blazing Saddles) and the Coens with their light-hearted larceny (Raising Arizona), have characters using language much smarter than they are, whereas The Zellners' lines are deadpan but dull even though they use elevated diction as the Coens so often do. Using contemporary lingo like "win win" and "real deal" doesn't titillate as it should. In addition, Zellners' language lacks strong affinity with bigger issues.

Samuel (Robert Pattinson), a rich pioneer, engages a sham preacher, Henry (David Zellner), to officiate at Samuel's wedding to Penelope (Mia Wasikowska). In their journey with a miniature horse, gift to Penelope (not the waiting Penelope of the Odyssey), the two must deal with their naiveté and the vagaries of raw Western staples like rot-gut whiskey, duplicitous Indians, and bad campfire ballads (Samuel's ballad to Penelope, called My Honeybun, is a weak companion to Brooks' notorious campfire scene)

While this set-up is rich fodder for satire, most of the jokes fall as flat as Penelope's affect and as dry as the joke about a fool in a barrel being strung up for no obvious reasons. Westerns are ripe for satire, but the flat line here comes not from the fine performances but the tepid minimalist script and uninspired cinematography.

Wasikowska is marvelous as the independent and bitter love interest, Pattinson showing once again that he is much more than a teen heart-throb. The Zellners have the right motif about loneliness; they just need to beef up the languid language and droll action.

For a huge fan, I was mostly disappointed.

[AbeVigyoda · 7/10 · 5 September 2018]

**** A few spoilers, so proceed with caution ****

I want to preface this "review" by saying that I LOVE the Zellner's previous film, "Kumiko the Treasure Hunter". I believe it's a masterpiece, and one of my favorite movies of all time. I've also seen many of their short films, so I know what their sense of humor is like. Needless to say, I probably had unrealistically high expectations for this movie.

Sadly, it was a disappointment. I can't say that I wasn't engaged all the way through, or that it didn't hold my attention (which for many will be a challenge since is VERY deliberately paced), but it just wasn't what I was expecting.

To begin with, the marketing and all of the press that I've watched is misleading. This is not a comedy. It is very much a drama with comedic elements. The humor was amusing, but with the exception of one sight gag when someone gets shot it wasn't the kind that will make you laugh out loud, or even smirk. Granted, the two leads at the beginning of the film (Samuel and Parson Henry) are played mostly for laughs, but after the "twist" (which wasn't really much of a twist) about 40 minutes in, the tonal shifts were all over the place. The humor becomes more subdued, being replaced with more moments of introspection. Moments, interesting enough, that weren't all that compelling or amounted to much.

The cinematography was perfunctory, but that's usually to be expected with just about any western. Even "Blazing Saddles" has great cinematography for what it is. It didn't come anywhere close to the beauty that the Zellner's achieved with "Kumiko". The actors all did a great job, but that was to be expected. David Zellner is actually a very underrated actor, in my opinion, and I'd like to see him take on more roles outside of his own films. Nathan Zellner has a brief appearance later in the film that, while a bit humorous, seemed to be created solely for the purpose of giving him more screen time. The brothers like to act, after all. The one thing that did surprise me by the end of the movie was the realization that the entire film was really about Parson Henry's journey, not Samuel or Penelope's. They were more like characters that flowed in and out of his life.

I'm going to watch the film again in a couple of days, so maybe my opinion will change a bit then. But at this point I feel it's ultimately a failure for what it tried to achieve. I'm still giving it a decent rating because it's a good film, but not great.

Damsel (2018)

[rockman182 · 7/10 · 5 July 2018]

Praise be for independent films. This probably isn't something that will be on many people's radars because its not exactly popular. I saw this a few weeks back and actually forgot to write a review so here goes. I haven't seen anything from David Zellner although I have wanted to watch Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter since forever. After watching Damsel I've got to say this is actually a really sharply funny and interesting take on a western.

The film starts off being about a man who brings a present (a miniature horse) for his lover. He also hires a drunk pastor to officiate their wedding. When he does travel the land to visit her he realizes that things may not be so straight forward. Now we get a film that covers death, love, and random occurrences that happen on the characters' journey in the West. The film stars Robert Pattinson, Mia Wasikowska, and David Zellner (the director of the film).

Went in not really knowing what to expect, which is actually a great thing because you don't have any expectations. I found points of this film to be extremely entertaining. Its a funny western. The characters, their actions, and consequences are humorous. The film also pulls no punches as there are plenty of surprises in plot along the way. You can't really judge Pattinson on Twilight fame because he was fantastic in Good Time and shows that he has a knack to be a funny dope in Damsel. Mia Wasikowska is one of my favorite actresses today and I think she's absolutely excellent in everything and she is quality here as a foul mouthed, independent, gun wielding damsel in this film.

I do like most western's but its not often I can see a uniquely entertaining and funny one. That is the case here and I love how the film wasn't afraid to take risks with its characters and the events in the film. Its fresh and pretty fantastic. I'm close to giving this film an 8/10, but I think I need to give it a re-watch before giving it that seal of approval. I really need to get on watching Kumiko now.

7.5/10

Difficult Watch

[larrys3 · 4/10 · 4 October 2018]

With very deliberate pacing and dark humor that seldom works effectively, this movie just added up to a difficult watch for me. Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska are fine actors but they can only do so much with this flat script. Save yourself the trek.

A bold, peculiar, beautifully shot offering

[Metaflix · 6/10 · 9 July 2018]

'Damsel' is bold and rather peculiar offering from the Zellner brothers that threads together the notion of a western, comedy, and drama.

Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska are entertaining as hell to watch and the film is unequivocally beautifully shot--equal credit needs to be given to both the location scout and the cinematographer.

However, it becomes clearer and clearer as the film unfolds that the story isn't quite fully fleshed out. While there are a handful of meaningful themes and existential musings that the Zellners work into the plot, they never leap off the screen and burrow as thoughts that further germinate inside one's mind after leaving the theater.

Why Bother With This Movie?

[Moviereeeels12 · 1/10 · 9 May 2019]

... there is no good reason to spend time with this movie, yes great scenery, great acting, the two leads are great, but the story is slow, boring and empty. I felt that a group of friend made a movie for themselves and all i was there for is to give them my money and get nothing in return!

Different Western movie

[Ehsan_Alikhani · 7/10 · 12 August 2019]

I think this movie seems simple at first sight, but it's full of meanings. It's not a usual western, you can't predict the story line however its so simple.

Don't listen to hulu

[smallsnickers · 4/10 · 17 January 2021]

Watched this first because hulu said it was a comedy.. there's like maybe five jokes I laughed at, for the majority it's depressing and cynical, good movie but I was wildly misled

Unusual western

[BaltimoreDancingmike · 9/10 · 8 May 2018]

I'm well into my 70's and it seemed as though half the movies of my youth were westerns. So i'm tired of the typical approach. Who has something new for me?

Well, the Zellers deliver a comedic western that kept me involved the whole way through. Starting with an unusual looking character arriving in a rowboat with a crate holding a miniature palomino horse. He shows up in a town full of characters that make him seem almost normal.

It turns out he's there to meet a "preacher" and to find and marry the girl of his dreams. In the film intro we see him dancing with this girl. Well, it's been a couple years since his contact with her and his focus is such that he hasn't considered the girl might not be of like mind. When that turns out to be the case, it turns out he's become so obsessed with this marriage he's become downright delusional. Things, to put it mildly, don't go his way.

The Zellers seem to have a deft touch with delusional characters. In Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, Kumiko is beautifully portrayed with great empathy. Here, our "hero" is shown to be equally possessed, and while both characters meet their demise, I felt great empathy for both. Unlike Kumiko, our "hero" finds out what he wants will not be his. Even though he had no reasonable expectation of success, I still felt empathy for him.

The "Damsel" was played straight by Mia Wasikowska with no humor coming directly from her, and you can't blame her. I was reminded of the Coen Brothers True Grit and the way Hailee Steinfeld played Mattie Ross -- all business (even though her wicked sarcasm did elicit a few laughs). It created a great contrast to the rest of the not-so-usual characters.

I saw this film at The Baltimore Film Festival and can't wait to see it again. I know there were a number of funny spots and sight gags I missed the first time through. I also appreciated it for the Zellers' breaking of traditional western genre molds. While not as high on my list as the Coen's True Grit or Fred Schepisi's Barbarosa, Damsel is a worth addition to my "oddball western" list. It's also a worthy follower to the wonderful Kumiko. I'm going to keep my eye on the Zellers and can't wait for their next film!

Very Bear

[syahputraeqqi · 7/10 · 13 August 2020]

This film can be said to bear in all aspects, but that does not mean this film is bad. This film has its own charm, such as taking on a comedy theme but in a western setting (it's really rare to use this kind of thing), by hooking up Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska. but unfortunately this film really supports comedy, crime, and the drama part. I feel like all the themes have been successfully lifted but it doesn't work optimally. and again, who's playing the character is also vague.

even so, the attractiveness of the story could treat all of that a little. Robbert Pattinson's ridiculous acting really made an impression on my brain. and also, mia wasikowska made me stunned because throughout her appearance, she managed to portray a woman full of anger and courage, which i have never seen before her appearance like that. Personally, I think this film is in the middle level, so it's not bad, it's not good either. not a lot of scoring to compensate for the cool framing. over all, its interesting western story.

Hack millennial subversion attempt

[damselsucks1 · 2/10 · 1 July 2018]

What a piece of crap. I've seen movies that were worse, but few that I deeply wanted to leave early more or that pissed me off as much. It has *some* merit (beautifully shot, a couple amusing moments). But ultimately: millennial garbage par excellence. These two brothers wrote and directed it, and they clearly think they are the Coen brothers with a hint of Wes Anderson for whimsy. What's more, they stole their take on male hope-projection onto a beautiful women from a much better film: There's Something About Mary.

In attempting to subvert masculine cowboy tropes, they made a hack film of a different sort: one that is accepted because it panders to popular opinion among people who go to the renovated art house movie theater in the part of town they gentrified with their trust fund bucks. It isn't that the opinion is wrong or uninteresting in and of itself, it's just relayed in this film in such a hack, lazy, glib, boring way by people certain they're more clever than they are.

It would have taken an amazing female lead to overcome the middle-school quality writing and all-too woke directing; their naturalistic take on zany Wes Anderson-movie dialogue was excruciating in certain scenes and I could have easily believed a teenager wrote it. But what was committed to film was one of the worst performances I've ever seen by an actor. To believe this woman was capable of starring in this or any picture is a strong indication you're as irrationally obsessed with her as the film's characters.

The result of all of this is a movie only certain people could enjoy: privileged white young women who can't get enough of having their shallow politics pandered to and the men who subconsciously know they must share the same opinions if they want a social life, so they self-righteously and vociferously do: in other words, woke drama queens who will their victimhood while boasting their empowerment and their male allies (tm)/hangers on.

Great movies don't pander. They make people find unlikely surrogates. True subversion requires excellence and subtlety this film doesn't come close to touching as it bashes its hack message into the faces of too many grateful to be bludgeoned with their own ideas. It doesn't even require pretentious art house claptrap to attempt to subvert. Blockbusters like The Hunger Games--a film where the damsel is literally a cute, cake-baking boy who is saved by the ass-kicking heroine--do much more to change expectations and advance gender relations. That's in no small part because that movie is well crafted. It's a good movie to a broad audience (no pun intended). Damsel preaches sloppily to its own choir of loathsome millennial hipsters. I'd be just as pissed off watching a Kurt Cameron loves Jesus movie that pandered to evangelicals, and I'd be pissed for for the same exact reason. However, what's really troubling is the thought that this is the future of media post #MeToo. Indeed, that's scarier than Hereditary.