Film review: 'The Dinner'
If noble intentions counted for anything, then this directorial debut from actor Bernie Casey would be a masterpiece. A bizarre, black-oriented talkfest that makes "My Dinner With Andre" look like an action film, "The Dinner" is polemic masquerading as drama. It is receiving its world premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival, where it is part of the Official Competition.
The picture is obviously a labor of love for Casey, well-known for his pro football career and his string of movie roles. Besides directing here, he has produced and written the film, and assumes the lead part, playing Good Brother, a highly influential black leader who makes an excellent living as a fine arts dealer. The bulk of the film concerns a lengthy dinner conversation he enjoys with two friends who are equally accomplished, and who are addressed simply as "Young Brother" (Wren T. Brown) and "Brother Man" (Doug Johnson).
During the course of this interminable debate, which takes place at a fancy restaurant in Savannah, Ga., the three men discuss the state of the black man in America.
There is much discussion about the "pathology" of the young black man, as well as how blacks have been impacted by European culture. Terms such as "landed gentry" and "disenfranchisement" are thrown about with abandon, and the men are far-reaching enough to consider the historical context of their subject -- not neglecting to bring up the slave-owning habits of the Founding Fathers. The conversation, however, is eminently civilized: When one of the men gets a little overexcited toward the other, he is quick to add "I hope that none of my comments have proved to be injurious." And all three are careful to treat their white waiter with the utmost degree of courtesy, stopping their conversation to thank him profusely every time he refills their water glasses.
Bookending the debate, which consumes nearly an hour of the film's running time, is an opening sequence in which Good Brother is shown enjoying an adulterous encounter in a hotel room with his beautiful white mistress, and a surprising violent conclusion in which he falls victim to her betrayal.
Although there are plenty of thought-provoking and meaningful ideas expressed in "The Dinner", Casey undercuts their effectiveness with the piece's static structure, stilted staging and self-importance. Neither is subtlety the film's strong point: When we see a mysterious white man eating jellybeans while spying on Good Brother in the hotel room, there is not one but two close-ups of him eating all but the black ones. And the white girlfriend, as played with mustache-twirling maliciousness by Meg Register, is depicted here as little more than an agent of the devil.
The lead performers deliver their arguments with as much conviction as they can muster, but are hamstrung by the awkwardness of the dialogue. Effectively underscoring their debate is a moody jazz score written and performed by Kevin Eubanks.
THE DINNER
An Acorn Production presentation
Director-producer-screenwriter Bernie Casey
Executive producers Richard Rowan,
Paula Rowan
Director of photography Johnny Simmons
Editor Sarah Gartner
Music Kevin Eubanks
Color/stereo
Cast:
Good Brother Bernie Casey
Young Brother Wren T. Brown
Brother Man Doug Johnson
Running time -- 86 minutes
No MPAA rating...
The picture is obviously a labor of love for Casey, well-known for his pro football career and his string of movie roles. Besides directing here, he has produced and written the film, and assumes the lead part, playing Good Brother, a highly influential black leader who makes an excellent living as a fine arts dealer. The bulk of the film concerns a lengthy dinner conversation he enjoys with two friends who are equally accomplished, and who are addressed simply as "Young Brother" (Wren T. Brown) and "Brother Man" (Doug Johnson).
During the course of this interminable debate, which takes place at a fancy restaurant in Savannah, Ga., the three men discuss the state of the black man in America.
There is much discussion about the "pathology" of the young black man, as well as how blacks have been impacted by European culture. Terms such as "landed gentry" and "disenfranchisement" are thrown about with abandon, and the men are far-reaching enough to consider the historical context of their subject -- not neglecting to bring up the slave-owning habits of the Founding Fathers. The conversation, however, is eminently civilized: When one of the men gets a little overexcited toward the other, he is quick to add "I hope that none of my comments have proved to be injurious." And all three are careful to treat their white waiter with the utmost degree of courtesy, stopping their conversation to thank him profusely every time he refills their water glasses.
Bookending the debate, which consumes nearly an hour of the film's running time, is an opening sequence in which Good Brother is shown enjoying an adulterous encounter in a hotel room with his beautiful white mistress, and a surprising violent conclusion in which he falls victim to her betrayal.
Although there are plenty of thought-provoking and meaningful ideas expressed in "The Dinner", Casey undercuts their effectiveness with the piece's static structure, stilted staging and self-importance. Neither is subtlety the film's strong point: When we see a mysterious white man eating jellybeans while spying on Good Brother in the hotel room, there is not one but two close-ups of him eating all but the black ones. And the white girlfriend, as played with mustache-twirling maliciousness by Meg Register, is depicted here as little more than an agent of the devil.
The lead performers deliver their arguments with as much conviction as they can muster, but are hamstrung by the awkwardness of the dialogue. Effectively underscoring their debate is a moody jazz score written and performed by Kevin Eubanks.
THE DINNER
An Acorn Production presentation
Director-producer-screenwriter Bernie Casey
Executive producers Richard Rowan,
Paula Rowan
Director of photography Johnny Simmons
Editor Sarah Gartner
Music Kevin Eubanks
Color/stereo
Cast:
Good Brother Bernie Casey
Young Brother Wren T. Brown
Brother Man Doug Johnson
Running time -- 86 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 9/2/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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