Melvin Goes to Dinner

Just got the DVD after discovering it on Netflix and enjoyed it, although I wish I'd seen it with a live audience for the laughs. It's "My Dinner with Yuppies" - but these guys are likable, smart, funny and occasionally deep. The effect is that you feel like you're the fifth member at the table. Definitely a worthwhile rental.

Bob Odenkirk directed, so there's some of his Mr. Show gang involved like David Cross and Jack Black (who delivers big time as the "Creatress"). There's also the uber-likable Maura Tierney along with Laura Kightlinger, to pepper this low-budget indy with a some bankable star power. But none of the major characters are "stars" although Blieden's is a face you'll swear you've seen somewhere (commercials?), but you can't quite place it.

But like so many independent films, the story behind the movie is just as, if not more interesting. The additional features include scenes from the play "Phyro-Giants" written by Blieden, that spawned this film. The commentary, especially the producers track is an independent producer's 101 where you found out how Blieden edited this whole film on a "single processor Powermac" in Final Cut. Damn, I'm impressed...

No, it's not quite "Swingers" but it's very good, with solid performances that come from a unique ensemble chemistry (these guys did this thing on stage for five months). I hear this has been on the Sundance Channel (don't get it), but I'd recommend the DVD for the extra's.

Somewhere between TV pap and movie crap, independent films like this, made on the cheap but sparing little or nothing in the quality of writing/performance, offer some hope for viewers who want something more. I look forward to Blieden's next film.

Melvin (Writer Micheal Blieden, adapting his own stage play for the small screen), meets up with friends, old and new, over dinner and has a conversation about ghosts, religion, sex, secrets, and religion (not necessarily in that order). The conversation itself is engaging and flows nicely, but the scenes out of the restaurant,though not without merit (David Cross, Jack Black, and Maura Tierney, have good parts in said parts), tend to mess up the flow of the film somewhat. And based on the film I'd be interested in seeing the play.

My Grade: B-

DVD Extras: Commentary by Bob Odenkirk, Micheal Blieden, and cast members; Second Commentary by Odenkirk, Blieden, the producers, composer, and Cinematographer; "The Frank International Film Festical" (a funny 15 minute skit); Scenes from the stage play Phyro-Giants!"; Trailers for "the Slaughter Rule", "Swimming", "Mule Skinner Blues", "Searching for Paradise", "the Hired Hand", "the Other Side of the Bed", "In This World", "Dopamine", and a promo for the Sundance film series

DVD-ROM: Screenplay in PDF format

Nearly all of Melvin Goes to Dinner's brief running time is spent observing a rambling but always interesting dinner conversation among four variously connected people in their late twenties. I was very impressed by both the writing and the acting. It's rare enough that we get even brief conversations that sound right, like real people really speak to each other; Here we have over an hour's worth.

All of the performances are very good. I especially liked Stephanie Courtney's ability to make Alex simultaneously annoying and charming. Others have noted the wonderful cameo by Jack Black as a mental patient with an impressively detailed conception of reality.

If you find yourself looking for a break from CGI and other special effects, give Melvin Goes to Dinner a try. The best thing I can say about it is that as soon as it ended, I wanted to watch it again from the beginning.

I caught Melvin Goes To Dinner in one of only 45 seats in the Private Screening Room at the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, MA. I knew going into the theater, that I was in for brilliance, as I have been with anything I've seen that was associated with Bob Odenkirk. Regretfully, I had never heard the name Michael Blieden before this film. I look forward to seeing more of his work, whether it be as an actor or writer in the future.

This is a poignant, no holds barred, almost voyeuristic look into the lives of a group of people eating dinner together. As the dinner progresses, so do the intricacies of each these individual's' life unfold, as each bears their souls through the dinnertime conversation.

While definitely humorous, the film is not light-hearted. Appearances by Jack Black, David Cross, and Bob Odenkirk are well-placed within the various stories that unfold. Every minute of the film kept my attention and kept me hungering for more. This is definitely a film that will keep giving if seen more than once.

An absolutely brilliant film that I thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait until it comes out on video or DVD so that I can add it to my much coveted collection of films. I highly recommend catching this film.

If you read a few of the reviews that gave this movie 1/10 then you'll know how I felt for the first 10-15 mins. "Melvin Goes to Dinner" can be difficult at first, mainly because we are given no formal introduction to the characters, so if you aren't instinctively drawn to eavesdropping on tables full of seemingly self-important hipsters, you may find yourself flipping the channel. But stick with it, at least up to the Jack Black (uncredited) scene. After that, things loosen up and you may find yourself really liking these people whom you had initially hated.

What, you say? Jack Black doesn't do it for you? Even though it's one of the most bizarrely ridiculous roles he's ever played, like a deleted scene from Spinal Tap or something? Fine, well maybe you'll have fun star-spotting for appearances by Fred Armisen (Portlandia, SNL) or Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids, SNL) and maybe a few others I didn't catch. They're fast.

Once you've settled in and invested some time getting to know these 4 characters and their distinct personalities, things start to get fun. Stories begin to mesh, consistent themes begin to emerge, and you're guaranteed at least 1 or 2 total "woah no way!" surprises that are worth the price of admission. By the end of the flick, what I had initially expected would be a dry, rambling, exhibition of nothing ended up being a cleverly written, well acted and ultimately rewarding experience. No, there aren't any shootouts, zombies or car chases (well... maybe 1 pseudo car chase), but in the tradition of the great plays "Who's Afraid of Virginial Woolf", "Long Day's Journey into Night" or any other classic play that focuses on a bunch of people talking for an evening, "Melvin Goes to Dinner" is a great experience.

It should be noted that the 4 main cast members are the same original cast from "Phyro-Giants" the play upon which this film is based. So they have great chemistry, and their lines flow effortlessly as if... well, as if they'd memorized every line, expression and gesture after a 100 performances or so.

The camera work is raw and unpretentious as it should be, consisting of hand held shots and frequent closeups just as you'd experience if you were sitting at the table with these people. Everything feels casual even though it was meticulously edited (by the star/writer Melvin himself on an archaic Mac computer). There are a few flashback scenes which use an interesting snapshot type presentation (which, when you think about it, is how we imagine stories that are being told to us without any reference).

If you get the DVD, be sure to watch the extras where they include some footage from the original play. The audience's reactions and laughter really add to the fun. If they ever revive the stage production of this, I'll definitely be in the front row.