Le dîner

It was to be expected that most comments on this movie were of a congratulatory nature. What's not to like about a film that focuses on just one whole evening of people having dinner in a typical Italian restaurant, with typical Italian costumers with a typical Italian predilection for good food and wine, while eavesdropping on their typical Italian conversations? OK, I'm a bit too cynical here, I know. In fact, for people interested in Italian cultural peculiarities, this film is definitively worth watching. If you want to see a good and/or entertaining movie with interesting characters, a good plot or original directing, look elsewhere. Because the personality of all the characters is set and fixed from the start and nothing is done to add a twist in psychology or state of affairs of those involved, prepare for a long and tedious sit. Nearly every second somebody is talking, but not one conversation ever gets really interesting or funny. All in all, too much of the same.

It's one of the best movies I have ever seen! Impressive! What can someone do with a small budget but with great imagination. The hole action is flowing naturally.

Clearly it is an adaptation of Plato's The Symposium in which the Greek philosopher discusses about Love. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symposium_%28Plato_dialogue%29 Ettore Scola was great by transposing the Greeks' feasts to an Italian restaurant, simply great! Some people may be offended by gay directions, but it is Plato's position: the greatest love possible is between the master and his pupil. That explains the sweet erotic scene of the two guys at the end of the film. "The purpose of this was so that, when a man embraced a woman, he would cast his seed and they would have children; but when male embraced male, they would at least have the satisfaction of intercourse, after which they could stop embracing, return to their jobs, and look after their other needs in life." Symposium, 191c-d The film also shows other forms of Love like: mom and son, friends, man and woman... and all of them some problem shows up. And what really matters is to love rather than being loved.

I gave 1 to this film. I can't understand how Ettore Scola,one of the greater directors of Italian cinema, made a film like this, so stupid and ridiculous! All the stories of the people involved in the movie are unsubstantial,boring and not interesting. Too long,too boring. The only things I save in this movie are Giancarlo Giannini and Vittorio Gasmann. Hope that Scola will change radically themes and style in his next film.

I was amazed after the very five minutes. this is not the kind of movie for people who don't care about others or those who are selfish and self-centered I'm sure that people would hate this piece of art, you'll see a whole world inside of few lives. the wise, the magic in every character, some jokes, problems, lies, some fantasy... its just hard to describe. I was eating popcorn and thinking when finally that waiter will take my order. if you have a child's-like imagination, or just you were in some hide small family "restorante" in Italia you'll maybe lived this movie. its perfect for those days when you feel like the world sucks

9.8/10