Diner (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Diner (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video (Limited availability)
Barry Levinson’s debut film as a writer-director nearly got lost in the shuffle before New York critics rescued it from oblivion. Set in his native Baltimore in 1959, it focuses on a group of pals coping with life post high school. Each of them has problems with women, it seems, whether it’s Steve Guttenberg (as a guy about to get married who forces his fiancée to pass a test about the Baltimore Colts), Mickey Rourke (as the womanising hairdresser with a gambling problem) or Daniel Stern (as the married one who makes his wife miserable with his carefully catalogued record collection). The only time these guys seem like they have got it together is when they gather at the diner to sling the bull. The cast also includes Ellen Barkin, Timothy Daly, Paul Reiser and Kevin Bacon–each in a breakthrough role. –Marshall Fine
French Fries With Gravy and Cherry ColasI have a lot of affection for this movie, not least because I was born and raised in Baltimore - although I was slightly younger in 1959 and lived on the other side of town. Baltimore is as much a character as any of the actors and the film lovingly recreates the city as I remember it.
Diner is about a bunch of guys who are never happier than when hanging out at the wonderfully nostalgic diner of the title. The emphasis is on atmosphere and character more than plot, although there are several memorable set pieces - most enjoyably in the cinema when Mickey Rourke’s date finds a surprise in the popcorn.
The cast - the heart and soul of the film - are universally strong, except for Kevin Bacon’s period lapses of overacting. The dialogue seems natural and occasionally improvised - especially Paul Reiser’s, whose character unfortunately gets lost in the middle of the film. The female characters are more basic and less deep, but then this is really a film about the guys. And their camaraderie - which developed during rehearsals and filming - is the major charm and attraction of Diner.
I love the film, but then I’m from Baltimore. But it must have universal appeal because my English wife also loves it and she’s only been to Charm City once. It’s a great film that rewards repeated viewings. For me, the only downside is the sight of the Little Tavern and the knowledge that those gorgeous little burgers are now extinct.