Diner

Rating:
Summary: "Could go either way". A classic!
Review: Living in Mpls. I could relate to going to the diner on a cold night for a burger and a plate of fries (w/gravy). Now living in the NW I have a ritual every year on a cold day in November where friends come over to watch Diner. Before we start the movie us guys go out to the best burger joint in town and pick up burgers,fries,onion rings and shakes while the women stay home and hang out. We all then gather around the tv and eat a splendid, tasty meal and laugh at all the great scenes we love. I think the reason some reviewers are grumpy is that they watched it on an empty stomach. Try it with burgers and you will fall in love with Diner.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: never ever did I see myself watching this movie, especially if i had heard about its plot before viewing. But during a lonely night, no women, no food, no friends, no life, i was flicking the cable channel and i caome upon this hilarious unimaginable scene, where a man has his penis in a bucket of popcorn sitting in a movie theather (Isn't popcorn hot?). Well that was enough to gain this lonely guys interest. looking for something in the line of Animal house and Revenge of the Nerds, I find this heartfelt movie showing the development between friends from teenhood to adulthood. Throughout this movie you see a difference in each character of friends, that models the average group of friends in most Amrerican movies and also in many ways reality. You have your badboy, loser, smartguy, and shy type all indulged in various trials.

Wont ruin the movie, but the characteristics alone is very appealing in this movie, since it models so much the lives of young men today, which is one of the reasons I give this movie an A++++.

Rating:
Summary: A Lavor Of Love from Barry Levinson!
Review: One of the most enjoyable sleepers of all time. A nostalgic piece of Americana. Levinson directed and wrote this small gem, but he also cast every character perfectly, and not a bum performance in the bunch. Filled with many memorable comic vignettes, such as the 'roast-beef sandwich' scene, the 'movie theater' bet and Steve Guttenberg's football quiz. While the film basically lacks a plot, it is just a string of amusing episodes of guys hanging out. Every character is expertly developed, Levinson tells us more about his characters with everyday chitchat, than other directors do with heavy dialogue. A lightweight comedy that never runs old, after repeated viewings you feel like one of the gang, and you even choose your favorite character. A great place to visit when you're feeling down, or just to have a plain good time. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film an 8!

Rating:
Summary: ok but not great
Review: People call it a classic i would only say that becuase of the cast. it has a young daniel stern and steve guttenberg, but they could have been better. they say its one of the funniest movie but i dont see it.

Rating:
Summary: They say it's a classic...maybe they watched another movie.
Review: People told me this was a classic; one of those movies that are craftily made. Well, after watching it I'm still waiting to be wowed. People say it is funny, even hilarious. I look back on it, now the next morning, and the only sort of funny scene is Daniel Stern's character complaining to his wife that she isn't alphabetizing his record collection correctly. He then storms out of the house leaving her in tears over it. It's memorable but so sad and pathetic. And he's maybe the most mature of the lot of these characters who are supposedly just out of high school but who look to me to be in their late 20s.

Of all the characters, I think I enjoyed seeing Kevin Bacon's the most. He had some depth and complexity as a book-smart young man who knows all the answers on a college quiz TV show he is watching, but at the same time is so uninspired to do anything with his life. I was hoping for more of a story to develop around him, but it didn't happen (having him go crazy in a manger scene is very anti-climatic). Aside from his character, there was no one I could identify with.

It seemed to be boring scene after boring scene and there I am waiting for something interesting to grab my attention. Ten minutes of Tim Daly playing simple piano in a strip club with a half-hearted drummer (who's obviosuly not even playing the drums) and a sax player who knows 1 riff is not my idea of engaging.

Maybe you had to grow up in Baltimore.

I give this 2 stars because I can't fault the dialog or acting, which is fine but nothing to get all excited over. It's the story that is aimless.

Someone compared this to American Graffitti and I must comment on that. The only real comparison is that they both take place in the 50s and are about what people are going to do after high school (and those characters look like high school students). That movie has its hilarious parts, its serious parts, and its parts that make you cry. It has dozens of memorable scenes and you actually care about the characters.

Rating:
Summary: They say it's a classic...maybe they watched another movie.
Review: People told me this was a classic; one of those movies that are craftily made. Well, after watching it I'm still waiting to be wowed. People say it is funny, even hilarious. I look back on it, now the next morning, and the only sort of funny scene is Daniel Stern's character complaining to his wife that she isn't alphabetizing his record collection correctly. He then storms out of the house leaving her in tears over it. It's memorable but so sad and pathetic. And he's maybe the most mature of the lot of these characters who are supposedly just out of high school but who look to me to be in their late 20s.

Of all the characters, I think I enjoyed seeing Kevin Bacon's the most. He had some depth and complexity as a book-smart young man who knows all the answers on a college quiz TV show he is watching, but at the same time is so uninspired to do anything with his life. I was hoping for more of a story to develop around him, but it didn't happen (having him go crazy in a manger scene is very anti-climatic). Aside from his character, there was no one I could identify with.

It seemed to be boring scene after boring scene and there I am waiting for something interesting to grab my attention. Ten minutes of Tim Daly playing simple piano in a strip club with a half-hearted drummer (who's obviosuly not even playing the drums) and a sax player who knows 1 riff is not my idea of engaging.

Maybe you had to grow up in Baltimore.

I give this 2 stars because I can't fault the dialog or acting, which is fine but nothing to get all excited over. It's the story that is aimless.

Someone compared this to American Graffitti and I must comment on that. The only real comparison is that they both take place in the 50s and are about what people are going to do after high school (and those characters look like high school students). That movie has its hilarious parts, its serious parts, and its parts that make you cry. It has dozens of memorable scenes and you actually care about the characters.

Rating:
Summary: "Are you going to eat that?"
Review: The first time I saw this film was as a teenager with my mother. Kids, learn from my mistake--DO NOT watch this film with your parents. I still have nightmares about the "Popcorn Scene."

I decided to watch Diner again recently, since I had little recollection of it. Given all of its critical acclaim and somewhat cult-status, I'd say I felt just a little let down. Really, I do mean a little:
--the storylines were interesting, but not fascinating;
--the "witty banter" at the diner was fun, but could have been better (think the coffee shop scene in Reservoir Dogs or the foot rub conversation in Pulp Fiction--now THAT's funny).

I think part of the reason for all of the accolades is that the film's "free-form" style was somewhat groundbreaking in 1982. It has been done better several times since then. Overall, I'd say this is a solid, entertaining film. Great? Nah.

Rating:
Summary: "Are you going to eat that?"
Review: The first time I saw this film was as a teenager with my mother. Kids, learn from my mistake--DO NOT watch this film with your parents. I still have nightmares about the "Popcorn Scene."

I decided to watch Diner again recently, since I had little recollection of it. Given all of its critical acclaim and somewhat cult-status, I'd say I felt just a little let down. Really, I do mean a little:
--the storylines were interesting, but not fascinating;
--the "witty banter" at the diner was fun, but could have been better (think the coffee shop scene in Reservoir Dogs or the foot rub conversation in Pulp Fiction--now THAT's funny).

I think part of the reason for all of the accolades is that the film's "free-form" style was somewhat groundbreaking in 1982. It has been done better several times since then. Overall, I'd say this is a solid, entertaining film. Great? Nah.

Rating:
Summary: Some of the best dialogue in a movie. Great situations
Review: The locale, situations and dialogue are some of the best in a movie. The fact that it takes place in Baltimore enhances its attraction to me since I live in one of the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. The exchange between Steve Guttenberg and his mom in the film is great.

Rating:
Summary: Fries, gravy, and good conversation
Review: There's a curious genre of film that I wholeheartedly endorse: the guys-talking-the-night-away flick. When done well, the genre's peculiar blend of nihilism and profundity easily sweeps me away. "Diner" belongs to (or did it originate?) this genre, although its not as blatantly verbose as it's offspring. Actually, the sitting-and-talking scenes are rather restrained. Still, when captured on film, sincere conversation can be more exciting than the most thrilling of car chase sequences.

In this genre, seeing as many of the scenes are played in static locales with little action, acting is of the utmost importance. "Diner"s much celebrated young cast, made up of unknown pre-stardom actors, is nearly perfect (Why only 'nearly' you ask? More later...). Daniel Stern is always adept at playing this kind of semi-wise everyman. Only here he has a dark streak, which threatens to do him in. It's a welcome stretch for Stern, and he does well as the Diner group's most grown up member. Ellen Barkin plays Stern's put-upon wife. I've never found her appealing as an actress, but she plays her character's torment just right here, in what is essentially a token female role. Mickey Rourke, if you can watch him without the benefit of hindsight, shows much promise as the group's lady prowling gambling addict. His Boogie has some moments where he must talk himself out of seemingly insurmountable situations, and Rourke, with his shy boy's voice and devilish smile, makes them look easy. Kevin Bacon plays against type, as a self-destructive trust fund kid. Bacon's small stature works against him, in that Fenn is supposed to be a terrifying presence at times. But somehow the point gets across, and Bacon, although he shows some signs of his amateur ness, deserves heaps of credit. Timothy Daly, who we are used to seeing as a non-threatening nice guy, appears that way on the surface. But Billy, freshly home from school, has a mean streak a mile wide. Daly is both menacing and naive, a neat trick to pull off. Paul Reiser gets probably the least amount of screen time, but he makes the most of what he's given. Reiser always seems like he's doing his stand-up act when he's acting, but the effect works here. Modell is a charming leech. He's the kind of guy who'll sucker you into giving up half of your roast beef sandwich, with a gentle touch that won't even leave a mark.

Okay, so remember I said 'nearly'? Well, there was one actor -- and character -- here that repulsed me every time he was on the screen. Steve Guttenberg plays Eddie with little understanding of the kind of character he should have been. See how Reiser shows Modell's likeability, even though he's kind of a scoundrel? Without it, you wouldn't believe that the character would be allowed anywhere near the holy ground of the Diner. Well, Guttenberg gives Eddie none of that likeability. He's just a mindless, heartless, oaf of a man. If he was in my group of close-knit friends, well, he wouldn't be for long. Guttenberg, who managed to pull off the likable scoundrel character in the "Police Academy" movies(!), was just distracting here. And he does not have the acting faculties needed to make the film's dialogue feel improvisational, as the other actors most certainly do. Not that it was all Guttenberg's fault. The character, as written, is unlikable. There's one scene where Eddie gives his prospective fiancee a lengthy football trivia quiz, which she must pass before he agrees to the marriage. Are you kidding me! Is there a woman in this world (or in, more accurately, 1950s Baltimore) empty and stupid enough to subject herself to such humiliation for a misogynistic dork like this?

Eddie/Guttenberg aside, this is a near flawless little movie. I bought into the boys' obsessions wholeheartedly, found their flaws quiet believable, and was engrossed by their conversations. Writer/Director Barry Levinson, who I've always thought of as little more than an over-rated, Baltimore-obsessed hack, at least got things right his first time around.