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Parents' Guide to

Damsel

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Unusual, uneven Western has violence, language, drinking.

Movie R 2018 113 minutes
Damsel Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

DAMSEL takes place in the Old West, with Samuel (Robert Pattinson) arriving in town with his guitar and a miniature horse called Butterscotch. He's hired Parson Henry (David Zellner) to accompany him to find his beloved Penelope (Mia Wasikowska). Samuel intends to serenade her, ask for her hand in marriage, and present her with the horse as a gift. Along the way, Samuel and Parson Henry encounter the bearded mountain man named Rufus (Nathan Zellner), who exchanges a few gunshots with Samuel. Samuel then reveals to the parson that, in fact, Penelope has been kidnapped by Rufus and his brother, and they need to rescue her before the marriage proposal can take place. The parson, who is, in fact, not a real parson -- he was given his clothing and Bible by an older preacher (Robert Forster) who gave up the calling -- finds himself in a wildly unexpected situation, with the weirdest still to come.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This very odd Western, which is peppered with dryly comical moments, is definitely out to thwart viewers' expectations. It succeeds nicely but only intermittently, as it often stretches its quirky moments a bit too far. Co-directed by David Zellner, whose Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter conjured up a similarly offbeat tone, and his brother Nathan, Damsel has at its center the Parson Henry character (played by David), who should probably be more appealing, but he's a little too pathetic. Likewise, the movie's humor is often a bit too queasy or slightly mistimed (on the long side).

Pattinson shows the courage of his convictions; he's not afraid to let his character look silly -- or plain lousy -- in various moments. But it's Wasikowska who comes out the best; her frontier woman is extremely firm and decisive, yet capable of tenderness. A character like hers is a rarity in the Western genre. The Zellners compliment her with their fine use of outdoor cinematography, pitched wide so as to capture the hardscrabble loneliness of this world. One sequence, in which Penelope finds a heart carved in tree bark within a grove, comes close to beautiful. But even so, Damsel is for adventurous viewers only.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Damsel's use of violence. How intense or frequent is it? What effect does it have (is it amusing, thrilling, or shocking)? Does it seem necessary for the story?

  • How is drinking depicted? Is drinking made to look cool or glamorous? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

  • Is Penelope a role model? Does she have agency and make her own choices? In what ways is she strong? In what ways is she not so strong?

  • What's the appeal of the Western genre? How is this one different from other Westerns?

Movie Details

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