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My Dinner with Andre (1981)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
11 October 1981 (USA) morePlot:
Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory, apparently playing themselves, share their lives over the course of an evening meal at a restaurant... more | full synopsisAwards:
2 wins moreNewsDesk:
(6 articles)
Capitalism: A Love Story (From Scorecard Review. 2 October 2009, 8:24 AM, PDT)
DVD Playhouse--July 2009
(From The Hollywood Interview. 14 July 2009, 12:00 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Uneven, but very much worth watching more (78 total)Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Wallace Shawn | ... | Wally Shawn | |
| Andre Gregory | ... | Andre Gregory | |
| Jean Lenauer | ... | Waiter | |
| Roy Butler | ... | Bartender |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
110 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoFun Stuff
Trivia:
Lloyd Kaufman of Troma, Inc. was production manager and his fledgling company provided support to the making of this film. This was one of his first credits. moreGoofs:
Continuity: The amount of wine in Wallace Shawn's glass varies in a manner not consistent with his drinking from it (or having it refilled). moreQuotes:
Andre: I wouldn't put on an electric blanket for any reason. First, I'd be worried if I get electrocuted. No, I don't trust technology. But I mean, the main thing, Wally, is that I think that kind of comfort just separates you from reality in a very direct way. moreSoundtrack:
Gymnopedie 1 moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (78 total)
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First question: Is it really possible that *no one* had ever thought of this idea?: A movie which is a "casual" (dinner) conversation? For this reason alone, the movie is worth watching; it may represent a stunning tour de force comparable to signing a wine rack and calling it "art".
I just watched it again after 10 or so years, and got a lot more out of it this time. I guess I feel like this movie served as a kind of barometer: Do you feel as "alive" as Andre would seem to be? Maybe this movie can help you find out.
Some unevennesses: I felt pretty darn sure that for the first half of the movie, Andre was reading cues off cards down and to "Wally's" right. I found that a bit distracting. I think they were hoping it would look like the normal way one looks away from a person when talking normally, but I think I could tell. It contrasts with the monumental focus Andre has in the second half; he's just glowing. Wallace Shawn's contribution to the dialog was much better than I remembered, but sometimes seemed a little wooden. I'm sure they were aiming at showing a spiritual gulf between the men (e.g., Andre complaining of unfeeling people gladhanding him, just after Wallace had himself proffered a poorly considered compliment). But sometimes it felt a little more uncomfortable than they might have intended. But this is forgivable.
Also, there was a technical problem; sudden shifts in color tone over edits.
But, those reservations aside, there were glorious things in this film. In general, the dialog is certainly fascinating. I found myself clutching the armrests a bit when Andre came over bitterly angry while recalling the episode with his dying mother and the cheery specialist. It was a palpable fury that reached through the screen and made you fearful of a burst of shrapnel flying out to hit you; in a way, this is almost like what *real* "reality TV" is supposed to be. And I suppose it harkens to Andre's descriptions of his "reality" theatre experiences in Poland.
If you haven't seen this movie, give it a whorl.