Has Anything Bad Ever Happened to You?

Today at the library I was surprised to see a small indie "mumblecore" film like Dance Party, USA on the DVD shelf. While at first it would seem that the film effectively presents a unique coming of age and redemptive story, as Gus, eighteen in a week, realizes the wrongs of his fronting and womanizing ways, even a quick second thought leads me to believe that the film is simply a moral duping.

The opening shots of a young Jessica waking up to a house full of people sleeping on the floor after a recognizable suburban house party is as gorgeous as much of the dialogue free portions of the film, set to minimal piano music, and far transcends the Mumblecore label, but it's when the character's begin to talk that the film finds itself on very rocky and awkward footing. I first rolled my eyes at Bill and Gus as they discussed the girls they got with or wanted to get with, but mistakenly thought the film would follow the more innocent seeming Bill with a crush on Gus's ex-girlfriend. Instead, the film tells quite a different story about Gus who we hear recount stories about getting blow jobs through brown bags, and sleeping with the hottest fourteen year old (Kate) at a party. It's later that the story of sleeping with Kate is revised, as Gus decides to tell Jessica the truth, that he raped Kate.

By making the party atmosphere and the characters feel so real, it's hard not to first get caught up in sympathizing with Gus who clearly has regrets for what he's done, and who is oh so stereotypically sensitive because he thinks about studying "like art, or photography" but ultimately, the film attempts to just give him a pass because of how guilty he feels, and even worse, excuses it because he goes to Kate and she doesn't recall anything so horrible ever happening to her. Beyond that, the film tries to make you forget that right before even telling Jessica the truth, Gus sleeps with yet another girl, and really, what is his motivation for talking to Jessica other than seeing a pretty girl sitting alone. In the end, it seems Gus only lets his guard down because Jessica's defenses are so far up as she is aware of Gus's reputation.

The film seems to want to make a statement about lost innocence, growing up, and moral honestly. The problem is that it does it in such a morally dishonest way by asking the audience to absolve Gus of such a horrible act simply because no one remembers it but him. And on top of that, he somehow gets the girl.