Diner

Rating:
Summary: Barry Levinson's first and best film
Review: Barry Levinson has been hailed as a great director on the basis of such films as Rain Man, Good Morning Vietnam and Bugsy. Diner is where his career began and remains the best film in his entire catalogue.

Diner takes place in Baltimore in the 1950s and tells the story of five young men hanging onto their high school antics by the skins of their teeths while coming to terms with fast-approaching adult responsibilities.

College, work, marriage, and responsibility in general threaten the quality time they spend hanging out at the Diner, discussing "What's on the B-Side?" and "Who's better: Sinatra or Mathis?" (The answer, of course: "Presley").

The film's laughs originate from its good ear for dialogue and the fantastic acting, which at times appears to be improvised. The film's young actors include Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, and Steve Guttenberg in the collective high point of their careers.

A thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic "guy movie" with an amazing ensemble cast.
Review: Barry Levinson has made a number of films that are both critically acclaimed and really enjoyable...but "Diner" is the one I always come back to when I need an example of a finely crafted movie that appears to be wholly natural (i.e., no one would ever assume that the cast was ever "acting").

Every actor in this film was in the early stage of their big screen career when this movie was made; every one went on to a sustained level of success. Mickey Rourke became one of the hottest actors of the 1980's, Kevin Bacon went from minor support roles to leading man status, Paul Reiser's stand-up comedy took off and he eventually found his way to the successful TV series "Mad About You" after (most peculiarly) landing a role as a heavy corporate slimeball in "Aliens". And Steve Guttenberg became a significant enough personality to land a role with Tom Selleck and Ted Danson in "Three Men and a Baby" before the decade was done (where he's gone since then is anyone's guess).

Ellen Barkin shoulders the thankless burden of being the lone female character surrounded by very well-defined male characters in a brilliant job of ensemble casting, and she is more than up to the task. Not being "one of the guys", she is eternally the outsider looking in...yet being married to (and apparently an ex-girlfriend of) "one of the guys" keeps her connected, ambiguously at best, to a circle she is doomed never to fully understand.

That's because this movie is about "the guys" and what it means to be "one of the guys". Character development is very well-executed; the actors throw themselves into their roles and present well-rounded (and uniquely flawed) young men that any one of us may have known (or been) at that same stage in our own lives. Friends who have grown up together and are in the process of growing apart, not quite understanding the depth of responsibility that comes with adulthood.

All of that aside, the dialogue in this movie, particularly in the scenes in the diner itself (apparently improvised to a significant degree) really make this movie worth watching. Quentin Tarantino couldn't write such believable casual exchanges between good friends. It all seems to flow so naturally; these are conversations you could hear (or have) anywhere with your friends. It's "Sex In The City" 20 years ahead of its time, focused from the mens' point of view. A terrific soundtrack and a stunning collection of vintage automobiles (especially Kevin Bacon's old Triumph TR2) round out a thoroughly satisfying period piece which is timeless enough to have taken place anywhere at anytime. You don't have to have grown up in the 1950's to appreciate a character study this good.

Rating:
Summary: A GIRL'S EYE-VIEW OF DINER
Review: Couldn't help but note that all these fine reviews appear to be written by males. Lest anyone get the impression Diner is strictly a "guy" film, I'm here to enlarge the audience base. It's a no-plot hilarious film with enough bitter/poignant moments to lift it beyond comedy. The acting is superb. I can't say enough about Barry Levinson's firm grasp on the entire picture. The actors, though now well known, were neophytes at the time. Levinson took them beyond themselves. Some of them have never approached the perfection again of their performanances in this film. I think particularly of Steve Guttenberg and Mickey Rourke. I became an instant Kevin Bacon fan first for crass reasons (be still my beating heart) and secondly for his excellent realization of his role. They are bored, they are restless and no, they are not "men." They are between adolescence and adulthood, a very unpleasant place to be. We laugh, but they didn't--not then.

Rating:
Summary: A GIRL'S EYE-VIEW OF DINER
Review: Couldn't help but note that all these fine reviews appear to be written by males. Lest anyone get the impression Diner is strictly a "guy" film, I'm here to enlarge the audience base. It's a no-plot hilarious film with enough bitter/poignant moments to lift it beyond comedy. The acting is superb. I can't say enough about Barry Levinson's firm grasp on the entire picture. The actors, though now well known, were neophytes at the time. Levinson took them beyond themselves. Some of them have never approached the perfection again of their performanances in this film. I think particularly of Steve Guttenberg and Mickey Rourke. I became an instant Kevin Bacon fan first for crass reasons (be still my beating heart) and secondly for his excellent realization of his role. They are bored, they are restless and no, they are not "men." They are between adolescence and adulthood, a very unpleasant place to be. We laugh, but they didn't--not then.

Rating:
Summary: As delicious as fries with brown gravy
Review: DINER has been receiving a lot of unkind remarks in recent years, and much of it is undeserved. Time is really what has been unkind. In 1982, after years of hippie doldrums, disco ho-hum, and punk self-destruction, Barry Levinson reached back to a different era which seemed like a simpler one. But he did so without a nostalgic eye. He presented five young men at a point in life when hard decisions have to be made. To compound this, each of the five young men are facing critical issues at this critical time. (Notice I say five men, not six. Modell [Paul Reiser] doesn't have a plot line. He's there for comic effect mostly.)

Boogie (Micky Rourke), his gambling problems aside, struggles to keep his dreams but must learn to accept the responsibilities of life. The intellectual but alcohol-plagued Fenwick (Kevin Bacon) must face-down his crusty, aloof family once and for all. Shreevie (Daniel Stern) must learn to translate his love for love songs for love for his wife before his marriage completely evaporates. Mama's boy (with a twisted mama), Eddie, (Steve Guttenburg) who has no real excuse for treating his fiancee so badly, is the most desperate in need of growing up.

To me, Billy (Timothy Daly) has the most poignant of all problems. He's willing to face up to his responsibility; he's willing to do the right thing. In one scene, where he decks the last opposing player of a baseball team that had ganged up on him, he essentially has put his boyhood behind him. What's standing in his way is the woman carrying his child but won't marry him. (She has good reason, by the way, for being reluctant.)

But comedy is watching other people struggle with their problems, after all. To me, the more believeable the problems (and they are believeable) the more effective the comedy.

Levinson squeezes so much humor out of these characters, and the actors deliver beautifully. The ease with which the cast interacts makes the viewer wonder whether they had been friends for years before making this film. Unlike other comedies of the early 80s--the infamous one-liners strung together--DINER's tangle of plot lines grows logically; it progresses as a result of the characters, not the situation. And while the film ends, according to true comic convention, with a wedding, it is the only traditional aspect of the film. It was truly unique for its time. And perhaps the time will come again when people will appreciate the value of this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Diner or How I Became A Barry Levinson Fan
Review: Diner is one of the best films I have seen and it is no wonder that I fell in love with this film back in the 80's. Released at a time when most buddy movies involved sex, fart jokes and bad dialogue Diner stood out by showcasing the talents of some of Hollywoods best young actors. Set in Baltimore, Diner is the story of a group of life long friends who have survived High School and went on to get married, or go off to College. They all face the realities of life we see ourselves and like good friends offer comfort and support. Even when one or more of them finds themselves stuck in a cross road there was always the Diner, that friendly Cafe that was open all night where a group of guys could just hang out and talk guy talk. Diner was that little film that stood out and became minor classic among films. Barry Levinson would go on to make other films but this is still his best. Easliy one of my most watched videos, thankfully my DVD copy has taken the place of my well worn out VHS tape

Rating:
Summary: DELICIOUS, JUICEY WITH A CHARMING LACK OF DEPTH
Review: Diner is the first of four(thus far) Baltimore films that Barry Levinson has made and its the kind of film that you can watch over and over again leaving you with a ridiculous looking smile on your face.

There is a scene in Diner that summarises why the movie so wonderful and familiar. Eddie(Steve Guttenberg) has a friend over he hasn't seen in a long time, Billie. He wakes up around noon, goes into the kitchen and asks his mother for a sandwich. She then runs around the kitchen and jokingly pretends that she wants to stab him. After finally agreeing to make him the sandwich she then kneels over to Billie(the quiet, polite friend) and says "Billie, do you want anything?Its no trouble." Doesn't everyone have a friend like that, the one your mother like because he's so polite, the one she wishes you were more like. The half joking/half real complaint of the mother about her son expressed in her light hearted insults is something that rings a bell with just about anyone who has a mother.Its a lovely scene.

Elsewhere the film is seperated into episodes where these friends get togather and talk and talk. You want to spend time with these guys, because they represent everybody's friends.

The main theme in the film is why these young men can blow the whole night away talking about whatever comes to mind (Mostly they decide which girl is "Death") and their lack of communication with women. A theme which climaxes with a terrific scene between Shrevie (Daniel Stern) and his wife Beth (Ellen Barkin) when he completely loses his temper because she had messed with the arrangement of his records. Eddie on the other hand insists that his fiance pass a football test before they get married, and Billie has tough time comprehending why a girl he slept with doesn't want to marry him or even go out with him.

There are other interesting side-stories like Fenwick's(Kevin Bacon) hostile relationship with his brother, and his untapped intelligence. There is Boogie's gambling problems and his cinema bet which I would never reveal here except to say that it leads to hilarious scene at the back of the cinema.

Thankfully none of these stories are taken to any melodramatic ends, with all problems kept at a safe realistic distance. As a result some of the guys appear to be caricatures like rebel, womaniser, virgin (never reveal which one) and there are no real revelations in the end. But then again we don't want any of that because we really like these guys and really enjoy their company. This film gives dignity to the term "FEEL GOOD MOVIE". Just don't let anyone see that silly smile after the film.

Rating:
Summary: Loathsome Characters - Below Average Film
Review: How does one enjoy a movie when there are no characters to like? Perhaps if we were not to think these 'guys' were likable, I would have felt differently. But, sadly, that is not the case. Pathetic, selfish men trapped in marginal film.

Rating:
Summary: A minor classic and a great DVD!
Review: I first saw Diner in the early eighties and it became one of my favorites. It captures the same feel as another coming of age movie, American Graffiti. The stories occur only three years apart, with Diner capturing more of the fifties feel and being the grittier of the two. While both of the films are excellent and understated, I can probably handle Diner on a more regular basis.

It struck a chord with me because a group of 5-6 friends and I spent each Friday and Saturday night during the early eighties sitting around a table in an all night cafe doing what the guys in Diner do - talking about women and the world in general.

The characters are normal guys, but at the same time they hold surprises. Boogie, played by Mickey Rourke, works in a beauty salon AND goes to law school at night. And this is in 1959! Fenwick, Kevin Bacon's character, appears to be a delinquent with a drinking problem (which he is), but reveals an intelligent side. Daniel Stern's character doesn't understand his wife at all, but has an encyclopedic knowledge of music history.

The entire starring cast went on to bigger (but not always better - where is that understated Mickey Rourke now?) things but the film contained firsts for several people involved. This was Barry Levinson's directorial debut, Ellen Barkin's film debut and a breakout role for Mickey Rourke.

The DVD is a pleasant surprise. It contains an anamorphic widescreen video transfer which is surprisingly free of nicks and scratches, although not perfect. The widescreen presentation is a revelation when compared to the pan and scan VHS version. City shots show much more and the group scenes flow much more smoothly without the cutting back and forth between characters.

Another surprise is the Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track. Most films in the early eighties were stereo, but many small films have not gotten the full DD treatment. This one has and, though it is not an action-explosion-car crash movie, the benefits of the DD audio are evident.

There is also a documentary called Diner:On the Flip Side which has Levinson and all the stars except Mickey Rourke in it. This is a nice addition as it helps explain how the characters appear to be a real group of friends, not just actors playing a group of friends. The parallels with American Grafitti continue here, as both casts were brought to their shooting locations, housed in a hotel and spent an inordinate amount of time together before and during filming.

If you want a film that envelopes you like a warm blanket, and which has great dialogue and character interaction, get this DVD, call over a few friends and enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite movie of all time
Review: I grew up in the 70s but could relate wholeheartedly with the story. This movie works on a multitude of facets. The characters are flawed but real, and the situations are sublime but believable. Classic lines abound from "you gonna eat that" to "the color of the label: maroon." This is a work of art.