Dinner in America

From: Drew (X3N0PH0N)30 Mar 13:21
To: ALL1 of 5
This is the best new(ish) film I've seen in years. Can't recommend it enough.

It's also the *sweetest*, most *heartwarming* film I've seen in I don't even know how long. And after the first 20 minutes or so you won't believe me.

I don't want to say much about it because it's one of those films where the joy is in the unfolding. Not because of plot twists or reveals or anything like that, it's just that anything I could say would undersell it and it's farrrr better to just go in blind and be delighted.

I'll just say it's a dark comedy about a couple of social outsiders in a crumbling suburban midwest America.

The first main character is not (immediately) likeable. There are racial and homophobic slurs near the start.

The film is smart in tons of ways. There are so many paths it could've gone down that would've ruined it and they avoid them all. The cinematography is very calm, in contrast to the main character's anger, which heightens the sense of powerlessness and alienation. A dumber director would've made the camera angry, like. Also it's nice to just see some locked-down static wide shots in a film like this instead of evertyhing being close and shaky.

I'm rambling cos I don't want to spooiiiil ittttttttttttttt.
EDITED: 30 Mar 13:22 by X3N0PH0N
From: milko31 Mar 18:17
To: Drew (X3N0PH0N) 2 of 5
I will check it out but I now have it playing in my head to the tune of that "Living in America" song that was on Rocky IV.
From: william (WILLIAMA)31 Mar 20:22
To: Drew (X3N0PH0N) 3 of 5
James the film man has sent me a copy. I'll have a look.
From: Drew (X3N0PH0N) 1 Apr 00:38
To: milko 4 of 5
Aha! There is a song in it with the same title as the film. So let's see if Living in America gets displaced!
From: Drew (X3N0PH0N) 1 Apr 00:39
To: william (WILLIAMA) 5 of 5
I actually got James to send me a nicer quality copy of this one after watching it. And I'm quite tempted to buy a bluray just to encourage there being more films like this. And I haven't owned an optical drive for at least a decade.