 Comprehensive roundup of Damsel reviews from film festivals and releases
He’s now pulled a 180 with a hilariously oddball performance in the western comedy “Damsel,†The New York Post
Pattinson quickly (and firmly) establishes himself as the star of the movie., Geek Girl Authority
“Pattinson is a stand-out”, Mr Will Wong
Below will be a roundup of media reviews which will focus on Rob’s performance in Damsel. In the event that the reviewer fails to mention Rob (because surprisingly that sometimes happens), I will provide an extract of their opinion of the film. Let’s get started with what to me seems like a positive reaction to Rob’s portrayal of Samuel Alabaster at Damsel’s Sundance world premiere. Note: This post will update as the film premieres at film festivals, special screenings and worldwide releases. I will try my best to denote SPOILERS so I apologise in advance if I inadvertently miss letting you know. Â
SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL (JANUARY 2018)
If you want to check out initial reactions at Sundance click HERE
VARIETYÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
The movie that surrounds them unfolds with an invisible wink, yet the pace is so stately and deliberate that at moments one is tempted to call it glacial. The rhythm is no accident; the Zellners know just what they’re doing. (They must be fans of Jim Jarmusch’s “Dead Man.â€) Yet “Damsel,†if I’m going to be honest about it, is droll and touching and amusing and a little boring, all at the same time. …
Yet they know how to use a star cast. Robert Pattinson, with a gold tooth where his right incisor should be, hits the perfect drawling note of flaked-out cheer as Samuel Alabaster … Pattinson’s performance is clever enough that we have no problem accepting him as the shambling-dude version of a classic good guy, and then, when the film’s plot turns around on him, that same friendly cracker-barrel face suddenly looks like the image of a man who may have a screw loose.
#Sundance18 review: “Damsel†(Premieres) ⭐⭐⭐ – The Zellner brothers’ offbeat Western starts in one direction, with Robert Pattinson’s city slicker trying to save his love (Mia Wasikowska), but jumps into something far crazier. The tone shifts are jarring, but rewarding.
His performance in Damsel isn’t as striking as the ones he delivered in Good Time or Cosmopolis, but he clearly enjoys himself playing a gallant pioneer who may not have the mettle required to thrive in the Old West. Pattinson is very smart playing a not-very-bright guy, never letting the portrayal become one-note.
Dominating the movie’s aimless first act, Pattinson excels at projecting the confidence of a man unable to comprehend his own stupidity. (He makes the actor’s clumsy bank robber in “Good Time†look like an evil genius.) If the movie solely relied on his antics, it would eventually become insufferable, but he’s just a starting point for a whole different arc.
Robert Pattinson, quickly blasting through the ranks and rising to the top as one of the industry’s most talented actors, shows just how versatile he can be. His character Samuel is comedic gold, a man uncomfortable in his own skin.
… The two best things about the whole project are the twangy, banjo-heavy original score by The Octopus Project and Pattinson’s performance.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTERÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
David and Nathan — is lovely to look, playfully goofs around with genre tropes and shows Robert Pattinson in a favorable new light.
VULTURE (SPOILER WARNING)
Pattinson has labored to shed his dreamboat image in favor of cretins and hustlers, and here he gives himself a gray metal front tooth and pitches his voice into the high twerpy zone. He’s most amusing.
Last year, former “Twilight†vamp Robert Pattinson proved he was no lightweight with a gritty turn in the indie heist “Good Time.†He’s now pulled a 180 with a hilariously oddball performance in the western comedy “Damsel,†… It takes a bit to get accustomed to the Zellners’ style — but once you do, boy, does “Damsel†really blossom.
From Pattinson’s broad take as Samuel Alabaster to Wasikowska’s uncompromising take-no-shit fiery role as Penelope you’ve got a fine combination that’s feels simultaneously surreal and welcoming. … Damsel is a delight, a strange mix of revenge, retribution and unrequited romance, all packaged in a way that feels both honorific of other iconoclastic artists and very much its own thing. As both Pattinson and Wasikowska continue to tackle roles a far cry from their more mainstream choices we get to revel in the fun that they bring to their roles in this strange land that the Zellner’s bring to welcoming viewers.
Pattinson is definitely in on the gag; it’s safe to say we’ve never seen him quite like this, playing a man whose stubborness and male ego shroud how dumb he really is.
The Zellner brothers have delivered another gem filled with their unique voice and off-kilter humor. … Robert Pattinson, a clever comic turn as Samuel Alabaster …
NOTE: Same review at SUNDANCE ORG which also includes quotes from the post screening Q&A. (***SPOILER WARNING***)
GEEK GIRL AUTHORITYÂ some may consider spoilerish
Watching the comedic western, Robert Pattinson quickly (and firmly) establishes himself as the star of the movie. This film’s delivers what I never knew I needed in life, Robert Pattinson hanging around with an adorable miniature pony. Day made. Pattinson throws himself head first into the comedy, displaying an impressive sense of comedic timing. He’s an absolute blast to watch in this movie. This is a rarely seen side of the still young actor. Here’s hoping we get to see more of this in the future. *NOTE: Loved Rob – the film not so much*
THE FILM STAGE (SPOILER WARNING)
Following up Pattinson’s career-best performance in Good Time, his Samuel is not far from being an ancestor to Connie. Also a disillusioned protagonist who manipulates to reach his ultimate goal, the actor plays his character like a good-natured, scrawny teenager who has watched every John Wayne western, but wouldn’t be able to get his gun out of the holster in a duel. “I’m not a gunslinger. I’m just a man,†he says after performing his cheesily sincere love song “Honeybun,†in part to convince to Parson Henry of the passion driving their rescue mission.
Who would have guessed, just a few years ago, that Robert Pattinson might become one of our most reliably offbeat, consistently fascinating movie stars? He’s easily the best thing about Damsel (Grade: B-)
THE STARÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
There were no breakout hits at Sundance 2018 but there many great films, and the best were the ones that didn’t follow cinematic conventions. … In the deceptive western Damsel, one of my favourite films at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival … Any man who thinks the title is short for “damsel in distress†is likely to find himself full of lead and reconsidering his opinions.
THE UTAH REVIEWÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
Although the film sags in pacing between some of the best slapstick bits, it is generously enjoyable. The actors clearly show they are enjoying themselves.
Pattinson, who has been on a roll lately with “The Lost City of Z†and “Good Time,†takes a left turn from his typical style here, revealing how much he can do comedy as well as drama. The leads are the best thing about “Damsel.†[Note: Not big fan of the actual film – “Damsel†is a good film, particularly because of its acting and originality, but falls short of greatness. It’s a movie of moments instead of a cohesive experience, the kind of thing you may enjoy at home in a few months but would likely disappoint you in a theater.”]
Pattinson is a stand-out as the clueless, blinded-by-love Samuel. He takes his character way beyond the script to create a highly-memorable character.
VAGUE VISAGESÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
Pattinson yet again reveals further depth as an actor, here relishing the part of a young and foppish Don Quixote, shooting at trees instead of tilting at windmills. … A tremendously fun movie, Damsel reinvigorates the Western aesthetic even as it defies many of the genre’s story conventions.
ROLLING STONE 20 Best Movies and Performances at Sundance
… the star initially lends Nathan and David Zellner’s warped horse opera a mock-heroic edge – he’s like Daffy Duck with a six-shooter, a miniature pony and a purpose. Then we start to wonder if this lovelorn dork with the badly parted hair is telling his traveling companion everything, and that’s when Pattinson really lets you see the cracks in this knight’s not-so-shining armor.
FILM JOURNAL Sundance Festival Recap (SPOILER WARNING)
Samuel Alabaster (Robert Pattinson, like you’ve never seen before). … Zellners’ film (which they directed, wrote, produced and star in) slightly runs out of steam towards the end, but it’s still a pure delight in its unapologetically feminist alteration of a beloved genre.
INDIEWIRE 12 Best Movies from Sundance
The acting is glorious, the jokes are blunt, and the cinematography is mighty in “Damsel,†all you have to do is trust the Zellner brothers and they’re bound to outsmart and surprise you along the way.
HUFFPOST This Year’s 6 Best Sundance Movies + A Few Performances We’ll Be Talking About
And A Few Standout Performances:
Robert Pattinson is something else in the Zellner brothers’ “Damsel,†a quirky, deadpan western set in the mountains of Utah. He brings true comedy (and life) to the film as a man desperate to find and marry his presumed fiancée-in-distress, Penelope (Mia Wasikowska). Highlight: He grabs a guitar and sings (!!!) a little ditty called “Honey Bun,†and it’s enlightening.
MOVEABLE FEAST Pattinson, Wasikowska Shine in a Lovely Western That Eschews Romance in “Damselâ€Â (SPOILER WARNING)
Part of the fun is seeing Pattinson cut loose as Samuel, embracing the role of a moony-eyed numskull with complete conviction …  While “Damsel†is bittersweet, it’s truly a joy to behold, a showcase for the Zellners’ zesty wit, Pattinson and Wasikowska at their most winning and a charming new addition to the writer/directors’ (literal) stable of animal stars with the miniature horse Butterscotch, who practically runs off with the film.
SLASH FILM: An Old West Comedy That’s Almost Too Straight-Laced To Be Believed (SPOILER WARNING)
Pattinson’s commitment to continually reinventing himself is commendable and has been largely successful (the differences between the character he played in last year’s Good Time and this lovable goodie two-shoes are many).
MONSTERS AND CRITICSÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
Damsel is a rootin’ tootin’ good time. It’s dark for sure, but Robert Pattinson has no vanity about being the butt of the joke and writer/directors the Zellner Brothers keep the surprises coming ‘til the end.
FILM DAILY The 15 Best Indie Hits of Sundance
If you like Western films, offbeat comedies, and Robert Pattinson’s face, then this is right up your street.
Robert Pattinson is so unselfconsciously loopy as Alabaster, you have to give him credit for taking chances with his image.
SCREEN ANARCHYÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
Pattinson again reveals himself as an assuming chameleon that is capable of more than he is given credit for.
CINEMACYÂ Â (SPOILER WARNING)
Pattinson finds himself working with another set of director brothers to show off his more comedic side in this wacky western, Damsel.
DEATH OF FILM CRITICISMÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
Robert Pattinson is a gem here. He adopts a convincing western accent, and you can feel his self-frustration at his lack of classic, rough masculinity. There’s just something striking about his image here, him walking into town with a winchester rifle and a guitar strapped to his back while towing a miniature horse named Butterscotch. He gets to flex some comedic muscles which we don’t really ever get to see him do. There’s a part where he sings a song about Penelope he wrote called “Honeybun†…. It’s pretty funny.
THE TRACKING BOARDÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
Both Pattinson and Wasikowska are perfectly tuned in to the comic wavelength of this film, and it works because there’s nothing about the film that overtly announces itself as a comedy.
IONCINEMA #9Â 100 Most Anticipated American Indie Films
Leaving Sundance as one of the critical darlings of the fest, for its play with the Western genre doing away with all the nuances of the Far West, with Damsel, David and Nathan Zellner are, and this doesn’t take anything away from the Safdies, the best filmmaker pairing working in American independent film and cements the bold storytelling we already found in Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter.
Robert Pattinson’s Samuel is simply adorable. With the performance he delivers, he can easily become a comedy actor.
CONCRETE PLAYGROUND 10 Films From Sundance We Want to See in Australian Cinemas
Two of cinema’s best current trends combine in Damsel — everybody’s making westerns, and Robert Pattinson is making, well, everything. Trust the folks behind Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter to bring them both together; if brothers David and Nathan Zellner can turn a Fargo-inspired urban legend into a thoughtful and intriguing film, then they can remake the Old West in their own comedic way, and take Pattinson along for the ride
PIGMIWARRIOR (Michael Bates)) (Video Review)
Pattinson’s performance is really entertaining … I haven’t seen him do comedy like that before … it’s really goofy and wild”
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BERLINALE (FEBRUARY 2018)
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER BERLINALE DAY 1 DAILIESÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
Robert Pattinson in a favourable new light. (Overall did not like the film)
THE GUARDIANÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
But Pattinson broadens his register in the latest stage of his intrepid campaign to cast off his matinee-idol past. His Samuel is nowhere near as revealing a turn as his clueless desperado in the Safdie brothers’ recent Good Time, but Pattinson shows he can also play a more sympathetic type of galoot – even crooning a pie-eyed love ballad called Honeybun, which Jonathan Richman might have rejected as too jejune. (Rating: 3 out of 5 stars)
DMOVIES MAJOR SPOILER WARNING
Samuel Alabaster (Robert Pattinson, in a very convincing performance) is a clumsy cowboy.
Pattinson is on top form at the lovelorn ‘hero’ of the piece, a surprise departure for the young actor after a more serious turn in last year’s Good Time. Here he is having the time of his life as Samuel, a role which, while perfect for him, could have been massively mishandled by the kind of actor you may have expected to lead a film of this kind.
Ne restent à sauver que les images des grands espaces américains et les numéros d’acteurs de Robert Pattinson et Mia Wasikowska. Le premier cabotine un peu, mais puisque sa partie est la plus comique, on s’y fait très bien.
Translation: The only thing that remains to save the film are the images of the great American spaces and the actors Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska. The first histrionic a bit, but since its part is the most comical, it is done very well.] [Note: did not like the film and I’m assuming they think Rob did okay considering]
Robert Pattinson ist wieder in seinem Element. Er hat nach seinem ersten Karrierehoch als Teenieschwarm in den „Twilight“-Filmen eine rasante Kurskorrektur vorgenommen, zuletzt drehte er mit David Cronenberg, Werner Herzog und Claire Denis.
Translation: Robert Pattinson is back in his element. He has made a rapid course correction after his first career high as a teenage chill in the “Twilight” films, most recently he shot with David Cronenberg, Werner Herzog and Claire Denis. [Note: did not like the film]
Las habilidades actorales de Robert Pattinson son algo sobre lo que sigue sin haber consenso, pero hay una cosa que nadie cuestiona: el británico ha peleado duro para sacudirse de encima la imagen de Ãdolo ‘teen’ que le fue adjudicada al principio de su carrera…. Pattinson, impecable en ‘modo tarado’— que cruza el lejano oeste para liberar a su novia secuestrada, y que al encontrarse con ella descubre que las cosas no son como imaginaba
The acting skills of  Robert Pattinson  are something that continues without consensus, but there is one thing that nobody questions: the British  has fought hard to shake off the image of idol ‘teen’ … Pattinson, impeccable in “tarado mode” -that crosses the far west to free his kidnapped girlfriend, and that when he meets her he discovers that the things are not as I imagined.
Ich bin riesiger Fan des Western: Die Gebrüder Zellner haben mit DAMSEL eine Unterhaltungsbombe abgeliefert, die sehr smart und liebevoll mit den Versatzstücken des Genres spielt. Neuer Lieblingsschauspieler: David Zellner.
Translation:Â Â I am a huge fan of the western: the brothers Zellers have delivered with DAMSEL an entertainment bomb, which plays very smart and affectionate with the set pieces of the genre. New favorite Actor: David Zellner.
Robert Pattinson is brilliant in DAMSEL, an otherwise flat, meandering and tentative Western parody.
#Damsel#Berlinale
Damsel’ is the most ironic western in many years – Mia Wasikowska and Robert Pattinson add something new to their acting styles
#berlinale#dkfilm#filmreview#Damsel
Feb ’18 #11 DAMSEL (Zellner & Zellner, 2017) Bewildering, leisurely, just plain weird fake western about looking for love in all the wrong places; like them, it may be all over the place, but has its heart in the right place, with a magnificently hangdog David Z.
#berlinale
Well, I’m defending ‘ Damsel ‘, Va. The Zellner brothers approach the Wild West as that historic period savagely idolized. So much so that he’s degenerated into jokes. Clichéd cliché. This, with due self-awareness, seems right, and hilarious.
Il film dei fratelli Zellner prende il mito del western e gli fa lo scalpo, a partire da uno straniero con il nome (e che nome: Samuel Alabaster, un Robert Pattinson sempre più bravo) che di Clint Eastwood è meno che parodia, il cui cavallo è solo una miniatura, e la cui donzella – appunto…
Translation:Â The film of the Brothers Zellner takes the myth of western and makes the scalp, starting from a foreigner with the name (and that name: Samuel Alabaster, Robert Pattinson increasingly bravo) that Clint Eastwood is less that parody, whose horse is only a thumbnail, and whose donzella – precisely
I may not have seen a mind-blowing film yet, but I can confirm that Robert Pattinson is on truly top form in DAMSEL – he’s really, really funny dudes!
#Berlinale
Robert Pattinson sinks and slinks into his role with ease, endearing and entitled, principled and petulant in equal measure. He’s charming, he’s lovable – he’s a nice guy. (Rating:  4/5)
RPattz as a goofy cowboy called Samuel Alabaster, complete with gold tooth and debonair centre parting, is not only the cutest thing you ever did see, but a layered and surprising creation in a film which lets him strut, undercut himself, and doubtless win the adoration of one-time Twi-hards all over again. … It’s Pattinson who chivvies the film into a rhythm worth getting in on.
Pattinson’s made a name for himself as a gritty indie darling following his mesmerising turn in Good Time, but Damsel affords him a chance to prove his comedy chops – he’s got ‘em alright. (Did not like the film so much)
Here, Pattinson shows that he’s not afraid to make fun of himself, and we first witness his silver toothed, gormless smile during a hilariously kitsch line dancing number at the beginning of the film. (Rating: 2 out of 5 stars)
CINEMATOGRAPHEÂ SPOILER WARNING
In definitiva, Damsel è un film che funziona. Ė un film conscio del suo punto di forza, ovvero il carattere comico consegnato dalle continue battute riuscite. Ė anche un film che ci presenta una buonissima prova di Pattinson (che ce la mette tutta, ormai, a farci dimenticare lo scheletro nell’armadio che è Twilight), alla lunga eclissato da un ottimo Zellner, capace di modulare la voce e cambiare espressione per rispondere al meglio a tutti quei momenti di comicità che gli vengono serviti. Ė anche un film che gioca sul proprio titolo, facendoci chiedere, fino all’ultimo fotogramma, chi sia davvero la damigella in questione.
Rough translation: Ultimately, Damsel is a movie that works. It is a film that is aware of its strength, that is the comic character delivered by the continuous successful beats. Ė also a film that presents a very good test of Pattinson (which puts it all, now, to make us forget the skeleton in the closet that is Twilight ), in the long run eclipsed by an excellent Zellner, able to modulate the voice and change expression to better respond to all those moments of comedy that are served. It is also a film that plays on its own title, asking us, until the last frame, who is really the damsel in question.
It’s a great role for Wasikowska to get teeth stuck into anyway, and the same can be said of Pattinson, with playful turns that completely encapsulates the film’s adventurous tone. The pair are seemingly having a lot of fun on this project, and in turn, so are we.
SLANT FILMÂ MAJOR SPOILER WARNING
Pattinson plays Samuel with off-kilter earnestness,
Exciting, funny and beautifully shot by Adam Stone (Midnight Special) in the more verdant corners of Utah, Damsel manages to import any number of modern notions into a surprisingly traditional western structure, recognising the appeal of the genre while not being afraid to steer it into some distinctly modern channels. (Rating: 4/5)
Both leads pour everything into incredible performances, Pattinson playing the deluded romantic and Wasikowska the whip-smart heroine. The Zellner brothers combined alternate between slapstick comedy and poignant drama to send the genre into a new, more modern sunset. (Rating: 4 out of 5 stars)
Even if, at moments, the story seems to neither fully embrace its comedy nor the genre it deconstructs, leaving audiences waiting for scenes to entirely develop and for the pace of the film to pick up, there’s something very refreshing about “Damselâ€. It never takes itself too seriously – and neither should viewers in order to better engage with it and fully appreciate what it has to offer – but makes one question how many stories and narratives we simply took for granted in the past. And that’s a nice accomplishment.
Maguelonne’s opinion: This quirky western is full of surprises, since the directors enjoy undermining all the codes and traditions of a genre seen so many times in Cinema. It has become a habit: Robert Pattinson is unrecognizable; …
Robert Pattinson plays this very believable and charming, he shows once again that he has learned a lot since the vampire Edward.
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SXSW FILM FESTIVAL (Austin, Texas 13 MARCH 2018)
Pattinson and Wasikowska are both giving incredible performances in the film. Pattison has some strong comedic chops and gives his character some interesting mannerisms. Sitting around the campfire with Parson Henry he declares that he wrote Penelope a song and offers to perform it. The words are funny, but the way Pattinson performs is what really sells the laughs.
BIRTHS DEATHS MOVIES (Jacob Knight Twitter)
Pattinson continues his streak of being just the best, while the movie wanders and goofs off for a pleasant two hours.
DAMSEL – “I got the groom spooks.” “It’s the Code of the Prairie!” Too many more brilliant quotes to even remember. Why is there not one new Zellner Bros. feature every year? You are doing it wrong, film industry.
The Zellner Bros’ DAMSEL takes on the Western with inspired cinematography, a unique sense of humor, and surprisingly dense aesthetic choices. Also, The Octopus Project’s score was a revelation. #sxsw
Overall, the film overall is a fun tale if you’re not a die-hard traditional Western fan. But the story doesn’t diminish its predecessors; it’s clear there are parts of it that revere the genre. Rather, it just provides an alternate look at gender roles so commonly displayed in Westerns, giving the damsel a chance to shine in her story.
Pattinson’s performance is top-notch as the gold-toothed Samuel. His simple-minded naivete mixed with his blind determination to find, rescue, and marry his fiance is a wonderful departure from some of his past roles. Pattinson’s tongue-in-cheek humor is parlayed with excellence while being slightly goofy, without going full Don Knotts à la The Apple Dumpling Gang. Seeing him stroll into town with a little pony and a guitar & rifle strapped to his back gave me flashbacks to Buckaroo Banzai. I just knew this shit was about to get crazy.
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IFF BOSTON (1 May 2018)
VANYALAND CONTAINS SPOILERS
Pattinson’s character ultimately lands somewhere between Gene Autry and Rusty from Adult Swim’s Squidbillies, and he’s excellent at what he does here. The song he’s written for his fiancee is perhaps the film’s best laugh, aside from one particularly gory moment near the middle of the film, in which the Zellners literally take the piss. He even gets a perfectly satisfying comeuppance from Wasikowska, who don’t need no saving from no man, but when he disappears from the film, the whole thing grinds to a painful halt. [Note: Did not like the film overall]
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CHICAGO CRITICS FILM FESTIVAL (6 May 2018)
Damsel in unabashedly bizarre, zigs and zags like a cartographer getting lost in the wilderness, and contains Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska pulling off a pair of challenging roles.
Robert Pattinson continues to reinvent himself with every performance, here playing a lovelorn young man who teams up with a drunk so he can marry the woman he loves, played by the always dependable Mia Wasikowska. This is a movie full of surprises, subverting almost every trope of the western on its way to being something eccentric and funny and totally original. It reminds a lot of Slow West, another movie I saw at CCFF back in 2015. I mean that as pretty high praise.
A loving reinvention of the western genre from the Zellner brothers (Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter), Damsel showcases their trademark unpredictability, off-kilter sense of humor, and unique brand of humanism.
Damsel is a brave film in many ways, both in content and in presentation, but what’s most impressive is how unafraid the movie is to take its time, to breathe and contemplate, to bask in life’s many pregnant moments where speech is either unnecessary or insufficient.
Pattinson, in particular, is a total delight, his dubious heroics undoubtedly the film’s raison d’être, and another lap in his epic run that sped up last year with Good Time and The Lost City of Z.
It’s a solid performance on part of both leads. It’s not quite up there with Robert Pattinson’s performance in Good Time but he’s been making some solid choices in his career of late.
Robert Pattinson provides a fine performance as the ‘heroic cowboy’, delivering a surprising comedic edge that I hadn’t seen from him. He also has good chemistry with his horse, a miniature one named Butterscotch. (Rating: 7.5/10)
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US RELEASE (22 JUNE 2018)
GQ INDIAÂ Damsel is going to be a lot of fun.
Robert Pattinson, somehow, is quickly becoming one of the most exciting experimental actors in the game. …Â Pattinson infuses his cowboy idiot Samuel Alabaster with real heart and humour.
FANDOR
As he did with his portrayal of Connie Nikas in Benny and Josh Safdie’s Good Time, Pattinson is hard at work losing himself in an exaggerated character, and it represents another admirable step away from the heartthrob identity he’s been labeled with since co-starring in Twilight. Like other relentlessly handsome actors, the secret to Pattinson’s continued career success might be through character acting. Even with Pattinson’s engaging and comical performance, though, the film tends to sag under its own weight.
Like with last year’s “Good Time†and “The Lost City of Z,†Pattinson continues to distance himself from his “Twilight†heartthrob years with this indie role as a prissy, if handsome, half-wit whose delusions are a dangerous joke. That he commits to the part — pursuing his lips as he sips from a shot of whiskey, earnestly crooning the lame love song “Honey Bun†— extends the entertainment value of the film.
Pattinson brilliantly dips into physical comedy.
Pattinson shows the courage of his convictions; he’s not afraid to let his character look silly — or plain lousy — in various moments.
THE WEEKÂ CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS
Robert Pattinson makes a striking introduction in his latest film, Damsel. … Damsel is a “men on a mission” film devoid of true men or a true mission, and it deploys wit and slapstick to put masculinity on trial.
The world needs more offbeat comic Westerns like “Damsel,” which fearlessly takes up space in subgenre terrain that’s rarely occupied these days. (Score: 2.5/4)
Pattinson is a delight, dressed in all the right cowboy gear but carrying himself like a tangled marionnette. Camping under the stars while en route to Penelope, Samuel decides to regale the parson with a song that he wrote for his beloved, “My Honey Bun,†and it comically goes on forever.
Robert Pattinson—continuing his string of Twilight-erasing indies—stars as the toothy, twang-talking Samuel Alabaster, in a performance so delightfully unhinged it harkens back to Jake Gyllenhaal in Okja.
SOLZY AT THE MOVIESÂ CONTAINS SPOILERS
 It’s not quite up there with Robert Pattinson’s performance in Good Time but he’s been making some solid choices in his career of late. … Pattinson doesn’t play any of it down. He brings the slapstick nature to his character.
BIRTH MOVIES DEATHÂ CONTAINS SPOILERS
Pattinson finds just the right note for Samuel, playing him as simple but not a simpleton, driven by his devotion to Love with a capital L.
Pattinson gives the film a kick that it lacks when he departs. His Alabaster is prim, peculiar and possibly psychotic. Believing himself gallant, he has a song prepared for Penelope dubbed “Honey Bun.†Sample lyric: “You’re my horseshoe to my hoof.â€
Samuel Alabaster, played with pitiful silliness by Good Time’s Robert Pattinson (continuing to bolster his diverse and ever-surprising career).
A quirky postmodern Western about sexual politics where whiny men are dominated by a tough woman who doesn’t need saving.
Gorgeously filmed in Utah and on the Oregon shoreline (and featuring a splendid cameo by Robert Forster), “Damsel†may feel 20 minutes too long, but it fills them with attitude and cheek. Here, the frontier is not just a crucible of reinvention, but a wilderness that can make you more than a little crazy.
The Zellners have assembled an excellent cast, fully committed to the cause, and as performers, they hold their own across from Pattinson and Wasikowska. Pattinson, who is on a run of working with daring indie auteurs, takes a hold of this role with vigor and pours himself into it. He’s incredibly game for anything, and his talent elevates the project …
Pattinson, whose recent work in “Good Time†and “The Lost City of Z†confirmed his emergence as one of the best and nerviest actors of his generation, refuses to turn the character into a mere punchline.
Pattinson steals the first third of “Damsel.†He’s so foolishly committed to his character, and to Penelope, that one can easily imagine a film in which he really was the star.
Pattinson’s Samuel Alabaster is one of them. In choosing once again to work with challenging directors, following David Cronenberg (“Cosmopolisâ€), James Gray (“The Lost City of Zâ€) and the Safdie brothers (“Good Timeâ€), Pattinson continues to erase all traces of pretty-boy vampirism from his repertoire.
Pattinson, sporting a gold tooth and a menacing grin, is now truly whisper closer to obliterating his dreamy Twilight image for keeps.
Take away the (literal) glitter in his makeup from the “Twilight†movies, the need to be serious most any place else, and he can do deadpan with the best of them. Yeah, he’s done comedy before, but seriously, you have never seen “R Patts†like this.
Adding to the comic tragedy of Damsel is the film’s impeccable casting, headlined by Pattinson and Wasikowska. Robert Pattinson brings a naïve enthusiasm to his western travel with a heart brimming with love, and it continues Pattinson’s reinvention from teen heartthrob to indie darling.
Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska deliver delightfully funny deadpan performances in this story of love, confusion and consequences on the frontier. They manage to be wonderfully entertaining by never being too silly.
He plays Samuel, a well-to-do greenhorn on his way to reunite with his girlfriend of old, Penelope. This disarming, guileless tenderfoot is Pattinson’s best work to date. The smug, swoon-inducing matinee idol of the “Twilight†films proves that he can take control of a richly layered role.
Damsel is a twisted force of nature that keeps you on your toes. Few movies have the ability to pull the strings of narrative in such a way that it leaves most everyone surprised by the outcome, regardless of our backgrounds. The Zellner brothers completely abandon the three-act structure in favor of something more unpredictable.
In “Damsel,†sibling filmmakers David and Nathan Zellner have created the perfect western for the #MeToo era, delightfully twisting and torquing the traditional woman-in-jeopardy narrative to create a clever, comical and uncannily relevant allegory. (3 stars)
By now, the Robert Pattinson Renaissance is over. He has been fully transformed- long live the Robert Pattinson Reign. … Yet no role so effectively assassinates the Robert Pattinson of old as his newest- as the chivalrous, courting pioneer Samuel Alabaster in the Zellner Brothers’ Damsel. … The fact that they cast Robert Pattinson to be the vessel for such a mission- is genuinely inspired.
CINEMANCYÂ CONTAINS SPOILERS
Fresh off the heels of starring in the Safdie brothers’ stylish crime drama Good Time, Robert Pattinson finds himself working with another set of director brothers to show off his more comedic side in this wacky western, Damsel.  Trading kooky for cool, Pattinson plays a man desperate to be reacquainted with his one true love, despite the physical – and, as we find out, emotional – distances between them.Â
After being one of the pretty faces behind the Twilight franchise, Robert Pattinson is proving to be one of the most interesting and talented actors of his generation. He routinely sheds any semblance of matinee idol vanity for gritty parts in films like David Michod’s The Rover and the Safdie Brothers’ Good Time.  In Damsel, he once again disappears into his role, but he’s given less with which to work, and Samuel remains a bit of a cipher, a one-note persona.
Featuring a hilariously bonkers turn from Pattinson, “Damsel” upends the Western tropes of hero, villain and damsel-in-distress with a mid-film twist that radically alters our perspective.
Samuel is Robert Pattinson’s most complex character. I didn’t think he could better than his stunning role in Good Time, but he’s exceeded it here.
Overall, the film is a fun tale if you’re not a die-hard traditional Western fan. But the story doesn’t diminish its predecessors; it’s clear there are parts of it that revere the genre. Rather, it just provides an alternate look at gender roles so commonly displayed in Westerns, giving the damsel a chance to shine in her story. Rating: B+
Pattinson (“Good Timeâ€) has never been better or more stupidly cavalier. He masters the drawl of the era so well, you will find yourself silently mouthing some of the words he says, “I’m just reg-lur.â€
Pattinson has become one of our generation’s most talented and fascinating screen performers in his post-“Twilight†years, bringing Hollywood star power to indie auteurs among the likes of David Cronenberg, James Gray and the Safdie Brothers. He’s an absolute goofball here, grinning through a gold tooth and giving an uncomfortably gonzo performance.
Damsel is not a film that will blow audiences out of the water. Sadly, the tone and humor can become a bit redundant by the end, but I still found myself thinking about the craft it took to make a film look this good. It’s a refreshing stance against the westerns of old that allowed the man to come into town and do what he wants with a woman. This Damselneeds no saving at all. She’s the hero of our hearts. 3 stars
The early scenes are stolen by Robert Pattinson … Damsel,†goofy, absurdist, and subversive, feels like a brave step in an uncertain direction.  The early scenes are stolen by Robert Pattinson (“Twilight,†“Good Timeâ€) as Samuel Alabaster, a zealously optimistic young man traveling across the 19th-century wilderness toward his true love, Penelope (Wasikowska).
 Pattinson continues to relish mocking his own good looks and typecasting as the heartthrob of those rotten Twilight flicks.
The Damsel review starts at 18:34 – but the Robert review starts at 20:21-22.24 where they say how “awesome” Rob is and creates “such a great character, really memorable very odd character”. They say he steals every scene and they claim the film suffers when he’s not in it. Listen HERE
ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS
Robert Pattinson plays Samuel believably …
Pattinson, continuing his streak, is a wonder. He steals every scene and scenes without him suffer from the loss. (Rating:Â 3.5 out of 5)
Wasikowska is quite good, as is Pattinson, who continues to mine unexpected roles with good results.
Robert Pattinson’s streak of excellent work continues with Damsel, a feature that, if you’ve seen the trailer, seems like a rollicking, quirky flick. Although there are some humorous moments in the feature, Damsel also has its share of dark and evocative moments, and it’s one of this year’s best films. Mia Wasikowska, if she gets a strong push from the heads at Magnolia Pictures, should be in the running from awards consideration (along with Pattinson).
PAJIBAÂ CONTAINS SPOILERS
Pattinson is different here from anything else I’ve seen him in before; most of his post-Twilight pattern has been dark shit like Cosmopolis and Good Time (which I loathed), but he’s looser here, working weird character tics like jutted-forward teeth and a lilting sort of speaking style. His whole affect makes clear that Samuel is a person who most of society would find charming and genteel, but whose wealth and demeanor hide an inner clueless and deep fear of embarrassment.
Pattinson was the only one to play his role with any competence and the Sebastian-pony was a perfect analogy of the collective competence of the Zellers to make a decent film in comparison with the stature of the Coen Brothers. [Note did not like film rating: C-)
Samuel Alabaster (Pattinson, gaunt and creepy in a way that reprises his role in Good Time) …
“Pattinson is an absurd delight between his high-pitched sincerity and dogged determination” “Yes it’s a western with a familiar-enough setup, but the journey is one of beautifully unmet expectations brought to glorious life with deadpan precision by all involved.
The film turns on a bullet from silly misadventure to something more profound: a glimpse into the historical constant of toxic masculinity. As much as the second half of the film scores points for insight, the humor is more depressing and scenes lack the bright, shiny idiocy of Pattinson’s Samuel.
As far as performances go, Robert Pattinson knocked it out of the park- I could barely recognize him and he delivered on every line in a way that was just so fun to watch.
‘Damsel’ turns the American western on its head with hilarious, offbeat tones and performances.
Pattinson has wiped the cinematic hard drive of any traces that he once played a pretty boy vampire in his breakthrough role as Edward Cullen ten years ago. After portraying offbeat characters in films “Cosmopolis,†“The Rover,†“The Lost City of Z,†and “Good Time,†the actor continues to grow his legacy by working with talented directors on low budget films … Pattinson and Wasikowska shine in the film that doesn’t take itself too seriously even when matters take a turn for the worse.
[W]hile Wasikowska gives a solid performance, she is eclipsed by Pattinson, who continues to show new shades and has his comedic game on point.
Pattinson gives the film a kick that it lacks when he departs.
Robert Pattinson once more flexes his character actor biceps to embody a bumbling but straight-laced weirdo, an aw-shucks romanticism complicated by what appears to be not-so-low-grade obsession. Pattinson adopts an unassuming, stick-up-butt twang of an accent which soars to grand heights when he strums along with an acoustic guitar or ruminates about “true loveâ€.
His Samuel Alabaster, an ill-prepared pioneer, is another complicated entry to the performer’s impressive stable, another bold, weird step forward for one of the most interesting actors working toward.
The disarming, guileless tenderfoot is Pattinson’s best work to date. The smug, swoon-inducing matinee idol of the “Twilight†films proves that he can take control of a richly layered role. … Pattinson accomplishes a lot that is original and eccentric. He dresses like a new visitor to a dude ranch and moves with the awkward incompetence of a knotted-up marionette. He invests in the part with such assurance that he wears imperfect teeth to hide his heartthrob glory.
Robert Pattinson does fine character work as Samuel
Robert Pattinson is a global treasure and Damsel only proves that point more and more … Pattinson sings the amazing and bizarre ballad “Honey Bun†at a campfire, which is among my favorite moments captured on screen in 2018.
Robert Pattinson is by far one of the most talented and most charismatic actors working today. Any film is that much better with him in it. He does all that he can with the material, as does the wonderful Wasikowska, but both deserve better. And on that point, if you have someone as electrifying as Pattinson, without diving into spoilers, it’d be smarter to use him to the full extent of the film.
Pattinson’s goofy innocence, clad in an ersatz Eagle Scout ensemble, has the nobility of a holy fool about it, deflecting the ennui and casual violence of the townsfolk he encounters, and charming the viewer with the purity of his mission. (Rating: 4 out of 5 stars)
Damsel benefits from very comical moments, the apparition of characters all equally quirky, and a gorgeous and textured cinematography by Adam Stone …Â Wild in every sense of the word, Damsel reinvents the conventional classic western by twisting the codes, thus coming up with something immensely goofy and weirdly hilarious.
This is the point I have to break and praise Pattinson’s performance. If I don’t, the Pattinstans might revolt. He is brilliant. He employs comedic timing I was unaware he possessed (granted the only movies I’d seen him in were Harry Potter 4 and the last Twilight.) He mutes all the slimy elements of Samuel with humor, but he never lets you forget the toxic elements he embodies. …  Also Robert Pattinson is at a career best. Go see it! 9/10
UK REVIEWS (*No Current Release Date*)
Pattinson, continuing his streak, is a wonder. He steals every scene and scenes without him suffer from the loss.
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (4 & 6 AUGUST 2018)
Robert Pattinson (Twilight) shines like the gold tooth in his mouth as a naive husband-to-be who arrives in a nascent town in search of his missing fiance (Mia Wasikowska). … Western fans will especially enjoy the deft way genre conventions are turned inside out.
SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL (JANUARY 2018)
THE PLAYLISTÂ (Gregory Ellwood)Â (SPOILER WARNING)
The film’s inherent problems, however, are two fold. First, the third of the picture is an absolute slog. The Zellner’s may have though this was a creative choice to make the comedic scenes funnier when they finally hit, but it simply doesn’t work. Second, the funny bits simply aren’t as funny as they should be. If this is a question of acquired taste, it’s one for a very small audience. And there’s little to be said about the filmmakers efforts beyond that. C+ [Gregory Ellwood on Twitter:  Damsel with Robert Pattinson simply doesn’t work. The miniature horse Buttercup steals the show tho. ….”]
THE DESERT NEWSÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
Unfortunately, the stunning vistas and oddball sense of humor aren’t quite enough to save “Damsel†from running out of gas on the way to its finish line. The setup is great, but the finish just feels too empty. [NOTE: The reviewer didn’t dislike everything about the film. “On the plus side, “Damsel†has a dry quirkiness that colors every character in the film aside from Penelope — in other words, all the male characters — in a stark shade of goofy. … The film also just looks gorgeous.” Rating: 2.5 stars
Pattinson probably welcomed the chance to subvert his own romantic lead image, and Wasikowska gets to be the one semi-level-headed person on screen, but none of that makes Damsel worth experiencing. By the time it’s over, the audience are the ones who need rescuing.
Nathan and David Zellner play in an amusing way with the tropes of a genre that stands like no other for the fictitious concept of a heroized past. Their black-humored deconstruction of the paternalistic WASP ideals, from which the Western and the American contemporary culture feed until today, undermines the audience expectations with relentless nihilism, caustic wit and famous actors …
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BERLINALE (FEBRUARY 2018)
SORDID CINEMA | GOOMBASTOMPÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
Robert Pattinson is one of the most interesting actors working right now. The former Twilight star had his best ever role last year with the mesmerising Good Time. He’s currently jumping into diverse parts with glee, and its refreshing to see him attempt a comedy. However, this type of humour, aiming for the lowest denominator possible, does him no favours.
Aber für diese Art von Humor muss man erstens schreiben können wie Tarantino oder die Coen Brothers. Und zweitens braucht man Schauspieler, welche den Quatsch aufsagen können und dabei etwas anderes spielen. Was die Zellners dafür haben, sind Robert Pattinson. Und David Zellner himself. Also so gut wie nichts. … Und eine Zumutung für alle anderen im Wettbewerb vertretenen Filmemacherinnen.
But for this kind of humor you have to be able to write like Tarantino or the Coen Brothers. And secondly, you need actors who can recite the nonsense while playing something else. What the Zellners have for this are Robert Pattinson. And David Zellner himself. Almost nothing. …. Adding this mix to a Berlinale jury is a joke. And an impertinence for all other filmmakers represented in the competition. [Maria: OUCH!]
Overall, like the immature result of a humorous script brainstorming the Zellners. A certainly fun process, but in the end a nuisance.
Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska play against type but the film never takes off and doesn’t result in an engaging experience overall. … Arthouse audiences may be intrigued to see the film based on the talent and setting, but the film lacks mainstream accessibility to land it any further expansion opportunities. The comedy elements could help soften the bleak nature of the story, but when the jokes come and go and the audience is left with a story that is not that interesting to follow.
The award to the first major stinker of the
#Berlinale2018 goes to…David and Nathan Zellner’s ‘Damsel’; a one-note joke that thinks it’s smarter and more progressive than actually. Possibly the most pointless western ever made. irritating beyond words.
Tone deaf, irritating, and far too pleased with itself, the Zellner brothers’ DAMSEL is a mess of a film.
#berlinale
Too bad for Robert Pattinson, who generously throws himself into an impossible role.
Doch Damsel leidet an zwei Dingen: Zum einen ist der Film streckenweise erstaunlich spröde und vermag es nicht, diese spannende Grundidee wirklich auszukosten. Zum anderen ist der Film sehr stark bemüht, dringend lustig zu sein und verliert sich oft in eher peinlichem Slapstick. Vor allem die Figur Pattinsons hat dabei noch ein weiteres Problem. Noch immer bemerkt man in seinem Spiel eine Meta-Ebene, in der sich Pattinson weiterhin damit beschäftigt, seine Twilight-Jahre durch radikale und oftmals selbstironische Figuren zu demontieren. Doch damit verpasst er seinem Samuel so viel übertriebene Blödheit, getränkt in Slapstick, dass er damit jegliche potentielle Subtilität zerstört.
Google Translation: But Damsel suffers from two things: First, the film is amazingly brittle in places and can not really enjoy this exciting idea. On the other hand, the film is very keen to be urgently funny and often loses itself in a rather embarrassing slapstick. Especially the character of Pattinson has yet another problem. His game still reveals a meta-level in which Pattinson continues to dismantle his Twilight years with radical and often ironic characters. But he misses his Samuel so much exaggerated stupidity, soaked in slapstick that he destroys any potential subtlety.
Certainly Damsel is not a masterpiece, it is in any case a clever and in its own way courageous film, which lives on brilliant narrative flashes, a cast of young stars who want to get involved and solid photography by Adam Stone.
The thought of Zellner Bros is limited to a cinematic anecdotalism without measure and depth that neither the (courageously admittedly) presence of the ever-changing Robert Pattinson nor the beautiful framing of Utah will suffice to camouflage.
A outra decepção é ver um Robert Pattinson tão fraquinho ao serviço de outros manos, ele que quase tinha ofuscado os seus maus passos em Good Time, aqui com os manos Safdie. Agora faz o que pode para compor o ‘boneco’ que lhe calhou, como um ingénuo comerciante trovador que procura a mulher que julga raptada. Claro que não atrevemos sequer a recordar A Desaparecida, de John Ford, a não ser pela mera blague. E, sim, os Zellner não são Mel Brooks.
Google translate: Â Â The other disappointment is to see a Robert Pattinson so weak in the service of other hands, he who had almost overshadowed his bad footsteps in Good Time, here with Safdie hands. Now he does what he can to compose the ‘doll’ that has come to him, like a naive troubadour merchant looking for the woman he thinks is kidnapped. Of course, we dare not even recall John Ford’s The Missing, except for the mere blague. And, yes, the Zellners are not Mel Brooks.
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US RELEASE (22 JUNE 2018)
The Zellner brothers, David and Nathan, wrote and directed this Western near-parody; though methodically conceived and occasionally tense, it’s slight and sluggish.
But with a parson who is more irritating than anyone should have to take, a one-note performance by a pretty woman, and the images of a handsome, nattily dressed easterner on the way to rescue his damsel, do not serve to help the story at all.
Despite some spirited performances, the film overdoses on quirks and lacks sufficient character depth to warrant much emotional investment.
Pattinson and Wasikowska deserve better material than the Zellners’ head-scratchingly lazy jokes.
Pattinson’s performance feels more like an awkward imitation of Justin Timberlake in a silly Saturday Night Live sketch. His commitment to the character is commendable, but it feels like a caricature.
THE CHICAGO TRIBUNEÂ (SPOILER WARNING)
The Zellners aren’t without talent: Though they don’t move the camera enough, they have an eye for natural vistas, and there’s an early, wordless extended shot of Wasikowska and Pattinson at a wedding dance that slyly indicates something may be going on behind the facade. Like everything else attractive to the eye in “Damsel,†this image of happiness is a cruel illusion. It’s also an unilluminating one.
Pattinson, who recently worked with Benny and Josh Safdie on “Good Time,†adopts a high squeaky voice and the semi-comic demeanor and delusional world view of a picaresque hero for Samuel. But he keeps signing up to work with indie filmmakers who let him down.
Pattinson goes all out on the weirdness for his romantic Western troubadour but mostly comes across as madman
Acting: 4.319/10 There’s definitely a different flow of humor progressing with heavy-serious undertones. Is it weird to say a lot of the dialogue doesn’t seem necessary after a point? Damsel would have done a lot better going full on Charlie Chaplin with color. (Although rated the film 7 out of 10 for cinematography)
I’ll co-sign your Slow West rental recommendation and dock Damsel half a grade to a C-minus for the brothers’ inability to capitalize on Kumiko’s promise.
However, even the best musicians can’t overcome mundane performances in what amounts to a meandering tale. Perhaps it was the source material or the direction? Whatever the issues might have been, Damsel does nothing to elicit any recommendation and should be avoided entirely.
[T]hey neglected to take into account the fact that Robert Pattinson is no John Wayne, and they sure as hell aren’t anywhere near John Ford’s level.
Damsel feels more like an extended comedy sketch.
Pattinson has a knack for playing wandering minds, but even he has trouble helping Samuel find grounding.
BERLINALE (FEBRUARY 2018)
- Critic.De (Podcast)
- DOP MAGAZINEÂ (Croatia)
Thanks for posting all the reviews together like this, Maria. There’s no way we mere mortals could keep up otherwise. Can’t wait to experience Samuel for myself on the big screen. Sooner, rather than later, please. Don’t make me beg.
A great catch up Maria. I was worried I missed it… But no way could I have gone to Melbourne