84 opiniones
Always a joy when low expectations yield joyous results. This is simply wonderful. Something to offend everyone. A junkie arsonist punk singer trashes a bunch of people's lives, encounters a socially stunted chick being bullied, wants to use her for his own ends, slowly discovers she is more like him than he realises and they fall in love. Zero sentimental crap and a bizarre happy ending.
This is close to zero budget and with a cast of no names. No requirement for explosions or car crashes. Well written script with real characters. Dripping with vicious sarcasm. Wonderful. More please. I loved this so much.
This is close to zero budget and with a cast of no names. No requirement for explosions or car crashes. Well written script with real characters. Dripping with vicious sarcasm. Wonderful. More please. I loved this so much.
- AnusPresley
- 20 nov 2023
- Enlace permanente
This movie tries to do everything it can to make the audience want to switch off in the first part. It presents you with a terrible, manipulative person who'd be a danger to anybody getting close to him, and then puts him on a collision course with someone you instinctively want to protect from him.
You're just going to have to trust me that there's more that needs to unfold. Beautiful things are going to happen. It's messy and trashy, and it needs to be. You'll even end up feeling a little bit bad for having those protective feelings at first, which is going to feel unthinkable when you're in the early stages of the story. Learning what Patty wants and seeing her find it is an absolute joy.
It's a great film with some surprisingly subtle things to say about freedom and what it means to invent yourself.
You're just going to have to trust me that there's more that needs to unfold. Beautiful things are going to happen. It's messy and trashy, and it needs to be. You'll even end up feeling a little bit bad for having those protective feelings at first, which is going to feel unthinkable when you're in the early stages of the story. Learning what Patty wants and seeing her find it is an absolute joy.
It's a great film with some surprisingly subtle things to say about freedom and what it means to invent yourself.
- highwingremnants
- 8 ene 2024
- Enlace permanente
Adam Rehmeier's "Dinner in America" is without doubt the best serio-comic punk-outlaw indie movie to have come along since I don't know when. Although it doesn't go too far off the beaten track of dozens of other 'youth' movies, (even blatantly stealing a gag from "Heathers"), I can't think of many as fresh or as likeable as this one. It's your old-fashioned boy-meets-girl plot though neither the boy nor the girl fit the stereotypical roles that might suggest.
He's a punk rocker but since he keeps his face hidden under a mask when performing nobody knows his real identity and she's a nerdy fan generally regarded by everyone she meets, (including her family), as 'retarded'. They certainly don't meet cute, (he's on the run from the police and she hides him), and they don't hit it off straight away until her 'secret' becomes the key that unlocks his bad-boy heart, (he likes to smash things and set fire to people's property).
Despite its propensity to violence and a screenplay as foul-mouthed as any in recent movies this is definitely a sweet-natured movie and as their unlikely romance blossoms you will undoubtedly find yourself cheering for it to succeed. As the central pair of lovers both Kyle Gallner and especially Emily Skeggs are absolutely terrific and I am sure both they and writer/director Rehmeier have the brightest of futures ahead of them.
He's a punk rocker but since he keeps his face hidden under a mask when performing nobody knows his real identity and she's a nerdy fan generally regarded by everyone she meets, (including her family), as 'retarded'. They certainly don't meet cute, (he's on the run from the police and she hides him), and they don't hit it off straight away until her 'secret' becomes the key that unlocks his bad-boy heart, (he likes to smash things and set fire to people's property).
Despite its propensity to violence and a screenplay as foul-mouthed as any in recent movies this is definitely a sweet-natured movie and as their unlikely romance blossoms you will undoubtedly find yourself cheering for it to succeed. As the central pair of lovers both Kyle Gallner and especially Emily Skeggs are absolutely terrific and I am sure both they and writer/director Rehmeier have the brightest of futures ahead of them.
- MOscarbradley
- 15 oct 2023
- Enlace permanente
I am a huge movie buff. No movie I have ever seen has made me feel the need to write a review besides this one. It has a seriously genius script and original plot. The actors/actresses killed it as well. It is quirky, has some underlying themes, and the love/romance had me rewinding scenes just to rewatch them. Why is this movie not bigger?! Also, the Watermelon song is stuck in my freaking head. I added it to several of my playlists on Spotify. Though all of the above is true, I think what sold it for me was how lovable these characters were. The most lovable misfits that I couldn't help but to find qualities in them (ie their awkwardness, sadness, anger, and overall stupidity) the actors/actresses have truly created the most beautiful characters that I weirdly feel are like long lost friends of mine. Such a punk film.
- htreat-71905
- 24 oct 2024
- Enlace permanente
Dinner In America is a heartwarming story about an unexpected relationship between two young adults, Patty and Simon. Despite it's rauchiness, it encapsulates the toughness of the world while simultaneously bringing happiness to light in a unique way. While it may not do it perfectly, it's a great film to watch between friends-From laughing to scrunching your nose at the questionable, this film will keep you interested to see what happens next. Although I had my doubts at the beginning of the movie, the ending was pleasantly surprising, as both characters share traits that one wouldn't expect at first glance.
- aofiaarchuleta
- 29 sep 2024
- Enlace permanente
A modern day version of Badlands or True Romance (without the killing), the Ben Stiller produced indie Dinner in America features two outcasts of society banding together through a chance encounter as Kyle Gallner's feisty punk rocker Simon and Emily Skegg's awkward recently fired retail worker and music super-fan Patty find solace in one another's company in the midst of the American mid-west.
A hit at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival where it was nominated for the covetous Grand Jury Prize and a key player at other film festival's over the last few years, Dinner is an impressive feature from director Adam Rehmeier who manages to give his film heart and soul amongst its pitch black showings of dark humor and bubbling tension that appears set to give our two main characters a journey that can only end in way in which they attack life with a fearless recklessness that society has forced them to undertake.
Key to the films success as a darkly in tune exploration of lost souls roaming the increasingly unhinged surrounds of the American working class system is the performances of Gallner and Skeggs, who are both likely to benefit greatly from Dinner finally being available to a mass audience as their turns here suggest both actors are sure to be staple of the industry in the years yet to come should they stay as committed to their craft as they are here.
Full of rage and often misguided energy but also a charisma that is hard to ignore, Gallner does impressive work as the not always likeable but hard to hate Simon while Skegg's is beautifully vulnerable as Patty who starts to grow into a whole different version of herself once Simon enters her life and allows her to be the person she was always supposed to be, even if the landscape and people around her might not be as ready to accept the new version her being.
In many ways Dinner is a slight film, there's no big payoffs or revelations here and for the most part the film plays entirely off the work of its two leads but for anyone that connects to these two lost souls that find acceptance and meaning in one another, Dinner will provide a modern day gun-free Bonnie and Clyde that is fuelled by a wicked sense of humor and desire to stick it to the man.
Final Say -
A dark and sometimes tricky dramedy that won't strike a chord with everyone, Dinner in America is a noteworthy independent offering with two of the more intriguing main duos of recent memory, making this character driven escapade worth seeking out.
3 1/2 Nintendo 64 consoles out of 5
For more reviews check out Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
A hit at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival where it was nominated for the covetous Grand Jury Prize and a key player at other film festival's over the last few years, Dinner is an impressive feature from director Adam Rehmeier who manages to give his film heart and soul amongst its pitch black showings of dark humor and bubbling tension that appears set to give our two main characters a journey that can only end in way in which they attack life with a fearless recklessness that society has forced them to undertake.
Key to the films success as a darkly in tune exploration of lost souls roaming the increasingly unhinged surrounds of the American working class system is the performances of Gallner and Skeggs, who are both likely to benefit greatly from Dinner finally being available to a mass audience as their turns here suggest both actors are sure to be staple of the industry in the years yet to come should they stay as committed to their craft as they are here.
Full of rage and often misguided energy but also a charisma that is hard to ignore, Gallner does impressive work as the not always likeable but hard to hate Simon while Skegg's is beautifully vulnerable as Patty who starts to grow into a whole different version of herself once Simon enters her life and allows her to be the person she was always supposed to be, even if the landscape and people around her might not be as ready to accept the new version her being.
In many ways Dinner is a slight film, there's no big payoffs or revelations here and for the most part the film plays entirely off the work of its two leads but for anyone that connects to these two lost souls that find acceptance and meaning in one another, Dinner will provide a modern day gun-free Bonnie and Clyde that is fuelled by a wicked sense of humor and desire to stick it to the man.
Final Say -
A dark and sometimes tricky dramedy that won't strike a chord with everyone, Dinner in America is a noteworthy independent offering with two of the more intriguing main duos of recent memory, making this character driven escapade worth seeking out.
3 1/2 Nintendo 64 consoles out of 5
For more reviews check out Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
- eddie_baggins
- 4 jul 2022
- Enlace permanente
I was fortunate enough to catch this film at Sundance. It is absolutely wonderful. The style of directing is very clean and stylized, and the humor used is biting but not trite. It's the perfect mixture.
Simon and Patty are misfits, forgotten or ignored by society. They are pushed aside. Simon is the kind of person who fiercely lives his life out loud by the code of punk rock, uncaring about what others think about him, but he has a good heart. He is often in the wrong situation at the wrong time and forced to make the best out of the options laid before him. Patty is often made fun of by her peers or complete strangers for no reason. She lives her life almost in secret, letting go and losing herself in her room to her music as she dances without abandon. From the outside, she's the last person you'd expect to be a punk rocker.
These two meet and what ensues is a beautiful, touching, and humorous journey about seeing someone else for who they truly are--learning to look past whatever first impressions that may have been formed and seeing the person inside of them who is often lost to others or afraid to come forth. By finding each other, Simon and Patty find themselves. Go see this movie!
Simon and Patty are misfits, forgotten or ignored by society. They are pushed aside. Simon is the kind of person who fiercely lives his life out loud by the code of punk rock, uncaring about what others think about him, but he has a good heart. He is often in the wrong situation at the wrong time and forced to make the best out of the options laid before him. Patty is often made fun of by her peers or complete strangers for no reason. She lives her life almost in secret, letting go and losing herself in her room to her music as she dances without abandon. From the outside, she's the last person you'd expect to be a punk rocker.
These two meet and what ensues is a beautiful, touching, and humorous journey about seeing someone else for who they truly are--learning to look past whatever first impressions that may have been formed and seeing the person inside of them who is often lost to others or afraid to come forth. By finding each other, Simon and Patty find themselves. Go see this movie!
- JessL03
- 26 feb 2020
- Enlace permanente
Quirky, offbeat comedy centered around two intensely unconventional characters. Much of the film is spent passive aggressively or all-out aggressively railing against banality and status quo in the American suburbs but there is also a sweet, heartwarming core and a lot of charm. It did feel a little long in the 2nd half without quite as much momentum as the 1st but overall this was a really enjoyable and unusual film.
- jon_pratt12345
- 23 jul 2021
- Enlace permanente
It's these little indie movies that restore my faith in cinema. I'm sort of guy that trawls IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes looking for new movies, but there are always ones that fly under the radar. Looking at this movie being over 4 years old now and only having over 5000 ratings on IMDB is quite sad. No doubt it will gather an audience over the years, but someone should release it on a streaming platform or something to get it more exposure. Its basically a James Dean for the 2020's, but much funnier. Although rough on the outside it's actually a feel good movie. Was very impressed with the direction and the 2 main lead's. To be honest, thought they were better performances than those who just won Oscars this year.
- chrislawuk
- 13 mar 2024
- Enlace permanente
I tuned in for Kyle, who I have seen and liked in other things. The first half of this movie had me squirming, with the opening scene being particularly hard to watch; if you're squeamish you may want to avert your eyes. Also there is a LOT of profanity. It was hard for me to see all the ill-treatment that Patty endures in her daily life (what's in all those pill boxes anyway?) I thought, do I really need to see more of this? But by the halfway point I was thoroughly invested. The "dinner in America" scenes around the family table were a hoot-did anybody recognize their own childhood here? (Take it down a notch!) Throw Simon in the mix and the whole household is upended! But a touching tenderness develops when Patty and Simon discover their hidden relationship with each other. I feel like Patty could have ditched her meds after that: Simon is her new feel-good, and it's nice to see Patty shine like that.
- wafflemakermom
- 14 feb 2024
- Enlace permanente
The first 15 to 20 minutes struggled, with the cuts too sharp and the dialogue a little clunky. However, stick with it - once it got going it found a good pace with a light tone, comedic moments and some highlights that were genuinely touching. I didn't think it offered anything new in regards to the story (ultimately it's a bad boy and a 'weirdo girl') but it was so well done with thorough, fleshed out characters, that it was very hard to find anything to dislike about it. It felt genuine and, importantly, it offered something different to what gets churned out nowadays. Plus points for a catchy headline song as well.
- IHeartGnomes
- 3 oct 2024
- Enlace permanente
Dinner in America, a interesting mix of a absurd comedy romance, filled with over the top characters and poking fun at everyone whilst it can. It's a fun and easy movie to watch, and flew by.
Directing was perfectly fine, it looks the part, colors are great and some scenes really stick out. Besides that it's fairly standard.
Story/writing/acting, this is the meat and potatoes of the movie and is where it is strongest, the writing with the oddball characters instantly made it interesting to me, the whole contrast of Simon versus Patty, and the family dinners scenes were great. It's writing borders on parody and it makes the movie a lot of fun, with some standout funny moments. It's not a typical comedy with a joke every few minutes, but it's a nice balance between the action, romance, and comedy aspects. The story in general was good, the ending decent though I thought the whole finale was wrapped up somewhat quick. I wish we spend a bit more time with them after the basement scene. Music is good too.
Acting is strong, Gallner shows again he can handle pretty much any role and is making me want to find more of his work, and Skeggs surprised me with her quirky, fun and endearing performance. Perfectly cast.
Fun and quirky movie that went under the radar.
Directing was perfectly fine, it looks the part, colors are great and some scenes really stick out. Besides that it's fairly standard.
Story/writing/acting, this is the meat and potatoes of the movie and is where it is strongest, the writing with the oddball characters instantly made it interesting to me, the whole contrast of Simon versus Patty, and the family dinners scenes were great. It's writing borders on parody and it makes the movie a lot of fun, with some standout funny moments. It's not a typical comedy with a joke every few minutes, but it's a nice balance between the action, romance, and comedy aspects. The story in general was good, the ending decent though I thought the whole finale was wrapped up somewhat quick. I wish we spend a bit more time with them after the basement scene. Music is good too.
Acting is strong, Gallner shows again he can handle pretty much any role and is making me want to find more of his work, and Skeggs surprised me with her quirky, fun and endearing performance. Perfectly cast.
Fun and quirky movie that went under the radar.
- FKDZ
- 11 feb 2024
- Enlace permanente
I was thinking this is a special movie. They were able to include everything. Hope more talented creations like this comes along.
- earlmoran-56934
- 4 jun 2021
- Enlace permanente
I turned this off twice before I got through it. There are so many unnecessary gross out moments that don't appear to be for humor or authenticity and really take away from the main story, which is ultimately rather sweet. The first half is over the top and meandering, a lot of it feels like edginess for edginess's sake, & not in a punk rock way. The portrayal of the Midwest as eternally trapped in the 80s also feels misguided and campy without intention. Like they're going for the time in a vacuum vibe of Napoleon Dynamite and miss the mark. That being said, the romance is oddly endearing and the songs are excellent.
- seaspongegirl
- 24 abr 2023
- Enlace permanente
10 times more entertaining than most movies, and probably had 1/10 the budget! Just give it a try!
- drjacobgrayson
- 2 oct 2021
- Enlace permanente
Take a chance on this film.
It isn't really that comical, it's romantic, not just for chics, it's aimed at anyone who has a heart.
Easily the best film I've seen in a long time.
By the time you get 60% of the way through it becomes something special, and when Patty and Simon really find each other (in the Basement - no spoilers) it's truly beautiful.
It isn't really that comical, it's romantic, not just for chics, it's aimed at anyone who has a heart.
Easily the best film I've seen in a long time.
By the time you get 60% of the way through it becomes something special, and when Patty and Simon really find each other (in the Basement - no spoilers) it's truly beautiful.
- gaps77
- 4 jun 2021
- Enlace permanente
At the beginning of the movie of some 15 minutes I've got tired and wanted to go out, but then the story started to have some rhythm in the right direction. Its content took on a form and dose of humor, and by that I've got the reason to stay and watch it further. Is it about the question of the real picture of American family and culture, and their values? Well, probably mainly. However, without extraordinary Kyle Gallner's acting the movie would be empty.
- Irena_Spa
- 5 may 2021
- Enlace permanente
You have to watch this film!! It has the quirkiness of Napoleon Dynamite, but with way more depth and commentary on life!! Such a beautiful relationship is built between Simon and Paddy, you will have a huge grin on your face watching their relationship build. Paddy is also such a fantastic female lead, that represents a different type of woman not normally showcased in film, and it was so wonderful to see and be able to relate to her.
- victoriapilotyyc
- 24 jun 2020
- Enlace permanente
Some stoner comedy, some Rom-Com, some teenage angst comedy, it would like to be black flag punkish but it is much more Ramones' style, i.e. A pleasant feeling of laid back burlesque mixed with wtf energy. You like it, have fun with us, you don't? Too bad., whatever...
Don't let the apparent crassness, grossness and rudeness fool you, this movie is about young adults, still children in many ways, and their pretending to be tough grown-ups, so nothing new. But it works and entertains, because of the cheer enjoyment the cast is having, the great cinematography, and the permanent irony of the director when confronting the tough talk they talk and the soft path they walk.
Don't let the apparent crassness, grossness and rudeness fool you, this movie is about young adults, still children in many ways, and their pretending to be tough grown-ups, so nothing new. But it works and entertains, because of the cheer enjoyment the cast is having, the great cinematography, and the permanent irony of the director when confronting the tough talk they talk and the soft path they walk.
- jjr-76474
- 11 ago 2021
- Enlace permanente
I don't normally post reviews but i just had to about this movie. I saw this on Hulu and looked up the trailer and thought, ok, quirky comedy, this could be fun. I went into not expecting much and boy was i happy with the outcome. The beginning is a little weird and i found myself laughing a few times thinking, wtf?...then after just a little bit, it just kept picking up more and more. I thought it was a movie i would fall asleep too and i was interested the whole time. This movie is so good! It made me actually happy when it was over. Definitely a feel good movie and such a beautiful romance. The actors did a great job! And i love the trailer didn't give away most of the movie cause i was pleasantly surprised at alot of it. I will be watching this over and over again if i can.
- brittanyrdd
- 24 nov 2024
- Enlace permanente
In the tradition of indie classics like Welcome to the Dollhouse and Napoleon Dynamite, Dinner in America is another misfit coming-of-age masterpiece...with a soundtrack to match. Cast and crew deserve all the awards.
- submachine
- 6 jul 2022
- Enlace permanente
This kind of felt like a raunchier spiritual sequel to Juno, or some other movie that appeals to teenagers, like that. I watched it because I was very impressed with Kyle Gallner in this year's fantastic Strange Darling, and wanted to give more of his recent celebrated works a chance. Plus, I know some people who are REALLY into this movie.
I will say that the main problem I had with this film is that it feels like it was written by a high schooler. It feels like it's trying to shock the viewer hard enough to make them laugh, constantly. It feels to me as if it's trying so hard to be funny, yet the majority of the time, it is not funny. Scene after scene, I found myself thinking, "I probably would have liked this when I was 17". The movie is, however, balanced out with just as much charm and endearment thanks to lead actress Emily Skeggs, who conjures up a very unique, nuanced character that feels more like a real person than about 95% of film characters in general. Of course, the catch, and the "joke", is that she's portraying someone who is "considered retarded" by others in the film. So, her "slowness" is your source of entertainment throughout the film. While it does add up to some really amusing and occasionally touching sequences, that's all thanks solely to Skeggs' phenomenal performance.
On the other side of things, the LEAST enjoyable thing about the film, and perhaps this is due to the writing as well, is that Gallner's character, our lead, and "anti-hero" of sorts, is so unlikeable that he becomes fully ANNOYING far before the movie is over. I was waiting for some kind of character arc, but by the time I got to the 3rd act and realized there would be none, I accepted that I simply hated his character entirely and that kind of taints the entire movie quite a bit. It's not Gallner's fault, as he acted his butt off and allowed this character to be the frustrating monster that he is - it's just the way the character was written and probably directed too that I couldn't stand.
Focused complaints aside, Dinner in America is a thoroughly entertaining film, and the odd relationship between the two main characters keeps it interesting throughout. The overall tone was just so juvenile that I could not fully get behind it. But a lot of people love this, so if you like raunchy comedies or riotous romances, you should probably give it a chance.
I will say that the main problem I had with this film is that it feels like it was written by a high schooler. It feels like it's trying to shock the viewer hard enough to make them laugh, constantly. It feels to me as if it's trying so hard to be funny, yet the majority of the time, it is not funny. Scene after scene, I found myself thinking, "I probably would have liked this when I was 17". The movie is, however, balanced out with just as much charm and endearment thanks to lead actress Emily Skeggs, who conjures up a very unique, nuanced character that feels more like a real person than about 95% of film characters in general. Of course, the catch, and the "joke", is that she's portraying someone who is "considered retarded" by others in the film. So, her "slowness" is your source of entertainment throughout the film. While it does add up to some really amusing and occasionally touching sequences, that's all thanks solely to Skeggs' phenomenal performance.
On the other side of things, the LEAST enjoyable thing about the film, and perhaps this is due to the writing as well, is that Gallner's character, our lead, and "anti-hero" of sorts, is so unlikeable that he becomes fully ANNOYING far before the movie is over. I was waiting for some kind of character arc, but by the time I got to the 3rd act and realized there would be none, I accepted that I simply hated his character entirely and that kind of taints the entire movie quite a bit. It's not Gallner's fault, as he acted his butt off and allowed this character to be the frustrating monster that he is - it's just the way the character was written and probably directed too that I couldn't stand.
Focused complaints aside, Dinner in America is a thoroughly entertaining film, and the odd relationship between the two main characters keeps it interesting throughout. The overall tone was just so juvenile that I could not fully get behind it. But a lot of people love this, so if you like raunchy comedies or riotous romances, you should probably give it a chance.
- Stay_away_from_the_Metropol
- 17 nov 2024
- Enlace permanente
Had no idea what to expect when I started to watch this at the Virginia Film Festival. It said "comedy" which evokes "Hangover" type silliness. But no -- not a goofy comedy if really a "comedy" at all. More a quirky, offbeat movie that touches so many good and warm spots. You don't see it coming. It starts with serious-seeming vulgarity by the main character. But as it develops, it just gets better and better until the end and you feel you've eaten a large, delicious meal. Probably the most enjoyable movie I saw at the Film Festival. Whenever it comes out, I will definitely watch it again. (Not want to say too much specifically so you can just let it develop without a clue where it's going.)
- lesdroits
- 27 oct 2020
- Enlace permanente
Ben Stiller remains committed to getting a good producer. Kyle Gallner, one of the names I miss seeing on the screen for myself, and Griffin Gluck, who skillfully transitioned from TV to screen, did a good job in this post-punk story.
- yusufpiskin
- 12 ago 2021
- Enlace permanente
This is ostensibly a traditional romcom which tries way too hard to be edgy. Full of quippy, antagonistic dialogue from one-note characters who seem to have no redeeming features. However, if you can stick it out through the first act, it develops a sense of light storytelling and even a few glimpses of character development along the way.
It's not a total embarrasment, but I'd wish they'd leaned heavier into the romance/characters instead of the intentionally obnoxious tone present in almost every scene. The acting is straight-up-the-middle ok. The editing and direction is irritating. The soundtrack is unacceptable.
Difficult to recommend. It's a movie stuffed with jerks who (very) occassionally let their mask fall to reveal a human side, but ultimately it drowns in its own filth and really needed to come up for air more often.
It's not a total embarrasment, but I'd wish they'd leaned heavier into the romance/characters instead of the intentionally obnoxious tone present in almost every scene. The acting is straight-up-the-middle ok. The editing and direction is irritating. The soundtrack is unacceptable.
Difficult to recommend. It's a movie stuffed with jerks who (very) occassionally let their mask fall to reveal a human side, but ultimately it drowns in its own filth and really needed to come up for air more often.
- Victor_Fallon
- 26 jun 2021
- Enlace permanente