Review: The Dinner
- Sammi Leigh Melville
- May 9, 2017
- 2 min read
When there's dinner, there's drama -- especially when it's amongst family. That is exactly what director Oren Moverman had in mind with his latest film, THE DINNER, adapted from Herman Koch's novel of the same name.
The Lohmans are not the type of family to get together for dinner -- there is too much tension between Paul (Steve Coogan), a history professor struggling with mental illness and with a strong propensity for racism, and his brother, Stan (Richard Gere), who is currently running for governor and can't seem to pull himself away from his work for two seconds. When Stan and his wife, Katelyn (Rebecca Hall), invite Paul and his wife, Claire (Laura Linney), to dine at a local fancy restaurant, Paul can see right through the thinly veiled request and knows that something is up.
He is right -- it seems there is a problem with the two families' sons: Paul and Claire's son, Michael (Charlie Plummer) and Stan's sons, Rick and Beau, have been up to their own mischief -- a deed done in the night without much thought, now coming back to haunt them. As the dinner goes on, and they attempt to devise a plan to deal with their offspring's situation, the tensions rise.
With Paul's off-kilter, sometimes jumbled narration adding a brooding filter to the story, THE DINNER will certainly leave you feeling uncomfortable. The film reveals snippets of likeable traits paired with despicable traits in each character, pulling your emotions every which way as you innately try to connect with one of them. And perhaps that is the thing that makes the Lohmans so despicable: their lives ring so true. If you can't relate with a specific character, bounds are you at least know someone like that.
THE DINNER is an unsettling ensemble character sketch -- one you should be sure to catch. Now at Midtown Cinema, starting on 5/5!
This sounds like the kind of movie that slowly builds tension instead of relying on big action scenes. Family secrets and difficult moral choices usually make for the most interesting discussions afterward. I'd definitely watch it just for the performances alone. After a serious film, I like doing something more relaxing. Recently, I've enjoyed using to earn free Bitcoin on RollerCoin. It's a light, entertaining way to unwind and switch gears.
Thanks for the thoughtful review. It really highlights how the film relies on dialogue and moral dilemmas rather than action, making it the kind of story that stays with you after it ends. Reviews like this encourage viewers to think more deeply about character motivations and themes. Developing strong analytical reading skills is also valuable for students using an AP English Language and Composition Practice Test PDF to prepare for exam-style passages.
Watching the intimate dinner scenes unfold at Midtown Cinema with its thoughtful storytelling and strong performances created a perfect evening escape that left our group discussing life choices long after the credits. When planning tickets for an upcoming film festival screening felt risky after a past mix-up I checked seatgeek reviews for honest user experiences. Real feedback helped us secure reliable seats with smooth delivery turning uncertainty into excitement. Now movie nights blend cinematic magic with confident planning creating joyful shared memories full of laughter and connection.
To clear my head afterwards, I stepped away from the drama and decided to finally move some savings into crypto for a long-term project. I used the Cryptocurrency Exchange Platform with its low fees and swapped everything smoothly in minutes without any hidden costs eating into my amount. Now those funds are working quietly in the background, giving me a sense of control and future focus that the movie's chaotic family completely lacked
Thank you for sharing block blast