The perfect allegory for this film is the same with restaurants. We usually visit those restaurants that are recommended to us or have good reviews, then you visit and discover the tragic reality.
This film doesn't know what it wants to be. I know it's an independent film and it's not easy to make movies, but besides some problems with the script, there are unforgivable technical problems, mainly with the audio editing.
The premise of the script is interesting but the acting seems close to that of a high school film. I wish all the luck to the authors and director but I didn't like the film very much.
21 Reviews
Seems unfinished
garisca2 April 2020
Movie seems unfinished. Or there's a lot of scenes missing that were supposed to provide context. Idk. I won't comment on acting. I think a lot of things like could've been ignored if it had a decent plot. Base plot is good but I think they had too many ideas they tried to push in not enough time. Ended up with nothing resolved at the end
Must have many friends or crowd-sourced reviews...
eyefordetail26 September 2019
The average rating of this movie is impossible, and has the potential to destroy the entire IMDB rating system reputation.
This movie is utterly unwatchable. Not fun, not entertaining at all. Just incredibly poorly made, acted, directed and scripted.
Could possibly be used to torture suspects into confessions.
Don't be fooled
efrat-konforty13 October 2019
It was a disaster... This is a narcissist need of father and son (I assume) to write and play together. There are ZERO acting skills, the plot is mediocre and the acting, again, it is a persoanl need that is asking us for money and attention.
In a world where time is a commodity, this is a waste of it. Spend your time (and dime) wisely. Avoid this one.
Almost two hours of excruciating pain!!!
jorge_reynal-400-11675613 September 2019
This is one of those..."things" that you can't even call it a film. Poorly acted, poorly directed, poorly edited, poorly filmed. Actors overact, underact. Jokes were bad. The sad moments were disgracefully acted. The score didn't match the scenes. The camera went too close or too far away, cutting the actors' head. Please I beg you, dont waste your time. You'd rather chew glass than watch this melange.
A Grade School Movie
bobv31815 August 2019
4-letter fest
mxmann4 April 2020
With a TV-14 rating (via On Demand) we thought this would be okay to watch with our family. WRONG!! Within the first 5 minutes it became obvious it was not a family movie, especially for families trying to teach wholesome values. Come on, real dialogue would have been nice instead of using four-letter words to fill up space and time. Hoping that the beginning language loss was just for shock value we were wrong and turned it off a few minutes later.
What would you do if you opened a restaurant?...!!!
rondna18 August 2019
American Bistro Is the Feel Good Movie of the Year
American Bistro grabs the audience's attention from the start and doesn't let go until the end. In the first scene a young man named Edmund (portrayed by Arthur Diennet) is grieving over his past actions and pondering the consequences. He asks that question that we all have asked. The question that is impossible to answer, "what if."
And the tone is set for the rest of the movie. Arthur Diennet wrote the script which he also directed and produced. He takes the viewer on an emotional, but joyous, ride as he investigates the themes of love, loss, anger and regret.
In his state of confusion about life, Edmund turns to his uncle Medor (played by Diennet's real life father Marcel Diennet - Medor is also gripping with loss and regret.
Marcel Diennet is a cinematic genius and a lesser artist would buckle under the weight of the many hats he wore during production. He joined drama and comedy together perfectly without sacrificing either. The final result is almost flawless.
The few criticisms are almost too small to mention. A few of the lesser characters are stereotyped. There is one too many vomit scenes. This movie is strong on its' own and low brow vomit scenes are not necessary.
Diennet gives us the answer to the question he asked at the beginning of American Bistro. An adventure is a problem after problem. A true hero is the one who surmounts problem after problem.
In the end there can be no light without darkness.
American Bistro grabs the audience's attention from the start and doesn't let go until the end. In the first scene a young man named Edmund (portrayed by Arthur Diennet) is grieving over his past actions and pondering the consequences. He asks that question that we all have asked. The question that is impossible to answer, "what if."
And the tone is set for the rest of the movie. Arthur Diennet wrote the script which he also directed and produced. He takes the viewer on an emotional, but joyous, ride as he investigates the themes of love, loss, anger and regret.
In his state of confusion about life, Edmund turns to his uncle Medor (played by Diennet's real life father Marcel Diennet - Medor is also gripping with loss and regret.
Marcel Diennet is a cinematic genius and a lesser artist would buckle under the weight of the many hats he wore during production. He joined drama and comedy together perfectly without sacrificing either. The final result is almost flawless.
The few criticisms are almost too small to mention. A few of the lesser characters are stereotyped. There is one too many vomit scenes. This movie is strong on its' own and low brow vomit scenes are not necessary.
Diennet gives us the answer to the question he asked at the beginning of American Bistro. An adventure is a problem after problem. A true hero is the one who surmounts problem after problem.
In the end there can be no light without darkness.
I like Chef movies but....
thrillerrayne15 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The other day a trailer for "American Bistro" showed up in my feed. I took a look. And it interested me. I'm a sucker for chef movies. "Rags to riches" stories. So i thought this would be up my alley.
I was incredibley dissappointed by the half way point. For up to that moment, there was stalling and lots of filler. And it wasn't even about "Poor people making it big".
I enjoyed the staff in the restaurant. Especially, The Hobo. And i wish more character development was made for the staff instead of the 2 leads.
The ending was way too preachy and didn't make sense. They shoved in split second flashbacks and wanted us to care.
Watch "Chef"(2014) or "Ratatouille"(2007). Much better chef movies.
I was incredibley dissappointed by the half way point. For up to that moment, there was stalling and lots of filler. And it wasn't even about "Poor people making it big".
I enjoyed the staff in the restaurant. Especially, The Hobo. And i wish more character development was made for the staff instead of the 2 leads.
The ending was way too preachy and didn't make sense. They shoved in split second flashbacks and wanted us to care.
Watch "Chef"(2014) or "Ratatouille"(2007). Much better chef movies.
Heartfelt father/son duo!
MarkAnder_17 April 2019
A well-made, wholesome experience
aractos-890-6071338 December 2019
--Heartfelt indeed. I feel American Bistro does a great job of throwing some relatable and arduous life experiences your way, only to quickly spice them up with wry humour. And to top it off, there are decent emotional payoffs to the hooks which are laid, as well as solid messages about life that tie up the movie's points.
--The musical score does nothing extraordinary, but it is tasteful and does its job of guiding you through the movie's emotions quite well. I don't remember seeing any of these actors before, which probably tells more about my lack of engagement than their talent, because they deliver great performances. Particularly the two male leads. The movie largely approaches the problems it ponders through a father/son dynamic and the female characters, while they have fun personalities and moments of expression, are mostly there for the ride and do not greatly influence the plot. This isn't criticism, but a notification for any girls or women reading this. You might be amused, but may find fewer points to relate.
--There are only two points where I felt the movie's quality weaken. There is one argument between Medor and Gwen which felt somewhat theatrical, but both actors display good performances outside of this scene. At the very end of the movie, it decides to really drive certain ideas and messages, and somewhat forces them upon the plot. Perhaps some screenwriting or editing magic could have made it more seamless. I felt a jog in the pacing, but even with that in mind the resolution unfolded quite well.
--If you're looking for a well-made, wholesome experience, I'd argue this movie is a fine choice.
--The musical score does nothing extraordinary, but it is tasteful and does its job of guiding you through the movie's emotions quite well. I don't remember seeing any of these actors before, which probably tells more about my lack of engagement than their talent, because they deliver great performances. Particularly the two male leads. The movie largely approaches the problems it ponders through a father/son dynamic and the female characters, while they have fun personalities and moments of expression, are mostly there for the ride and do not greatly influence the plot. This isn't criticism, but a notification for any girls or women reading this. You might be amused, but may find fewer points to relate.
--There are only two points where I felt the movie's quality weaken. There is one argument between Medor and Gwen which felt somewhat theatrical, but both actors display good performances outside of this scene. At the very end of the movie, it decides to really drive certain ideas and messages, and somewhat forces them upon the plot. Perhaps some screenwriting or editing magic could have made it more seamless. I felt a jog in the pacing, but even with that in mind the resolution unfolded quite well.
--If you're looking for a well-made, wholesome experience, I'd argue this movie is a fine choice.
A nice surprise!!!
info-835913 August 2019
This film, like many good indie films, has a way to subvert any expectations. It is the kind of comedy that may only make you laugh a couple of times but will have you smiling throughout the whole story. The chemistry between the actors is magic!!!!
Fun watch from first time director
mandyevenmoore13 August 2019
Very impressive debut from Arthur Diennet. Although this isn't a perfect film and is a little clunky at times, there's definitely heart here and Arthur is one to watch. It's funny how the film itself seems to emulate the moral of the story stated at the end of the film. Give it a watch, it's not bad.
Superbly Entertaining!
alexus-9715914 August 2019
A uniquely witty and uplifting film that kept me smiling throughout. As real life father and son, you can sense the chemistry between Edmund and Medor immediately, which is important to me when watching any film. It was inspiring to watch him chase his dreams despite the setbacks life so often throws our way. If you are looking for a film that will not only entertain, but lift your spirits, I would recommend giving American Bistro a watch!
A Great movie with some real life craziness
powerkidz28 December 2019
My wife and I loved this movie. It is a little slow at first but once you get past that it picks up the pace. It has some quirky characters who are relatable. There are some really great bits and some very funny. If all the interviews were like the one in this movie it would certainly shift the wheat from the chaff. It was endearing and heartfelt.
Charming
chanceoflifee2 December 2019
Loved It!
jaredriley03329 August 2019
I could relate to this film as my family had a restaurant back in the day and we had to do everything from scratch right from picking the location. Loved the chemistry between the father and son, quality production and some of the scenes are super funny. We loved it! Entertaining, good job Arthur!
Hilarious
mitchietorres3 December 2019
Thinking this was going to be cheesy I was a little hesitant on watching it but it had a bit of everything in this movie. Great jokes, solid cast, acting and the trial and tribulations that life might throw at you at times. I've rated this the highest just because they proved me wrong. Well Done!
Comedy
gary-ent-1992 December 2019
Heartfelt
spotterjoneszz2 December 2019
I'm shocked as to the bad reviews that's on here. This was a lovely movie! Inspirational, funny and sad at times and the ending was superb. This is a perfect movie to watch with your family during the holidays. I'm giving it a 10.
A surprisingly funny and touching film! Barely a boring scene! A must watch film!
kwenchow5 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This film start with a man "Edmund" ask for help from his uncle "Medor" after he broke up with his girlfriend and Medor throw a guy out of a door and beat him on the ground scene! Medor actually saw the guy having sex with his wife! As turnout, this film is about Medor and Edmund recruit a bunch of misfits to open a restaurant! Entire film full of comedy scene and laughable conversation! Medor beat the guy at the opening scene quite bloody! Funny scene! 1)Edmund carry Medor on his shoulder and dancing! 2)Medor ask Edmund to hit his face but later he saying Edmund hit too fast! 3)Edmund throw out a lot of money from his bag to lend to Medor, Medor very surprise and realize the money is Edmund college money! 4)A wanderer crawl out a trash container when Medor and Edmund at the location of the restaurant, the wanderer actually is the restaurant former worker! 5)They open the restaurant to check but the electricity shock them! 6)Medor and Edmund interviewing one of a female employee who want to work, she saying she only want work on Wednesday! 7)Edmund test the employee who can qualify the job by shooting at them! 8)Edmund dreaming he saving the female employee "Lizz" from the male worker who harass her! 9)Edmund impress the food critic "Sheldon Crassus" by comment a dick gallery picture! 10)Medor and another worker throw up in the kitchen while restaurant first day opening! Edmund encourage his uncle to pursue his chef dream actually quite touching! His uncle after found out his wife has affair with another man and want to divorce him, but he still want rebuilt their relationship, also very touching! At the end, Medor and Edmund successfully open the restaurant and they burn a panda on a boat at the beach! At the very end, the director dedicate this film to his dad! That's it! This really is a surprisingly good and entertaining film! A must watch film!
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