Dinner with Friends

Rating:
Summary: encompassing. . .
Review: This film is a flawless treatment of four people's views of one universal abstraction: love (and the commitments it entails). Refreshing dialogue, encompassing performances (particularly Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette), and beautiful framing combine to make a terrific and demanding film experience.

Rating:
Summary: A "Thinker"
Review: This movie amazed me. After the credits rolled, I sat there thinking that I should probably just start it back up and watch it again. What a surprising, detailed portrayal of self-deception. The way we can live with lies and not realize it at all. And manipulate others so that they reinforce those ways we are deceiving ourselves. Whew. Great acting from all four. Great story.

Rating:
Summary: A "Thinker"
Review: This movie amazed me. After the credits rolled, I sat there thinking that I should probably just start it back up and watch it again. What a surprising, detailed portrayal of self-deception. The way we can live with lies and not realize it at all. And manipulate others so that they reinforce those ways we are deceiving ourselves. Whew. Great acting from all four. Great story.

Rating:
Summary: A thought-provoking and reflective film about relationships
Review: This was a remarkable work of art. It was quite obvious that everyone involved was emotionally invested in the project.
First of all, kudos to the playwright; I'm always impressed when male writers can capture the female psyche with expertise and intuition and translate it to a three dimensional character. Expect nothing less than completely truthful revelations about what women are like, or what they can become, in long-term relationships. It may be painful for some people to watch because many of us in this society go through our relationships with blinders on; a lot of couples live in denial. Hopefully this film will foster some degree of understanding, compassion, and discussion in its viewers.
Secondly, the cast was nothing less than extraordinary. Because of the rich dialogue, these actors were finally given a chance to show a great deal of range. Dennis Quaid's performance was simply incredible; he surprises me all the time by outdoing himself with each new role. It's a testament to how often women underestimate men and their complex needs and desires within a relationship. A couple of the scenes involving Dennis Quaid's and Greg Kinnear's characters are the most heart-breaking because they reveal a great deal of wisdom that tragically, they cannot manage to impart with their wives. Toni Collette and Andie MacDowell are equal to the task of playing against the two male leads. There is a great deal of humor, warmth, and chemistry between all of the actors.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who is interested in understanding the opposite sex. There's an important lesson to be learned as well: when it comes to relationships, we are all active participants and we need to learn to take accountability for our actions. Especially those we inflict on our loved ones.

Rating:
Summary: A thought-provoking and reflective film about relationships
Review: This was a remarkable work of art. It was quite obvious that everyone involved was emotionally invested in the project.
First of all, kudos to the playwright; I'm always impressed when male writers can capture the female psyche with expertise and intuition and translate it to a three dimensional character. Expect nothing less than completely truthful revelations about what women are like, or what they can become, in long-term relationships. It may be painful for some people to watch because many of us in this society go through our relationships with blinders on; a lot of couples live in denial. Hopefully this film will foster some degree of understanding, compassion, and discussion in its viewers.
Secondly, the cast was nothing less than extraordinary. Because of the rich dialogue, these actors were finally given a chance to show a great deal of range. Dennis Quaid's performance was simply incredible; he surprises me all the time by outdoing himself with each new role. It's a testament to how often women underestimate men and their complex needs and desires within a relationship. A couple of the scenes involving Dennis Quaid's and Greg Kinnear's characters are the most heart-breaking because they reveal a great deal of wisdom that tragically, they cannot manage to impart with their wives. Toni Collette and Andie MacDowell are equal to the task of playing against the two male leads. There is a great deal of humor, warmth, and chemistry between all of the actors.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who is interested in understanding the opposite sex. There's an important lesson to be learned as well: when it comes to relationships, we are all active participants and we need to learn to take accountability for our actions. Especially those we inflict on our loved ones.