Cheap Diner (DVD) (Steve Guttenberg, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon) (Barry Levinson) Price

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Customer Reviews of Diner

They say it's a classic...maybe they watched another movie.
People told me this was a classic; one of those movies that are craftily made. Well, after watching it I'm still waiting to be wowed. People say it is funny, even hilarious. I look back on it, now the next morning, and the only sort of funny scene is Daniel Stern's character complaining to his wife that she isn't alphabetizing his record collection correctly. He then storms out of the house leaving her in tears over it. It's memorable but so sad and pathetic. And he's maybe the most mature of the lot of these characters who are supposedly just out of high school but who look to me to be in their late 20s.

Of all the characters, I think I enjoyed seeing Kevin Bacon's the most. He had some depth and complexity as a book-smart young man who knows all the answers on a college quiz TV show he is watching, but at the same time is so uninspired to do anything with his life. I was hoping for more of a story to develop around him, but it didn't happen (having him go crazy in a manger scene is very anti-climatic). Aside from his character, there was no one I could identify with.

It seemed to be boring scene after boring scene and there I am waiting for something interesting to grab my attention. Ten minutes of Tim Daly playing simple piano in a strip club with a half-hearted drummer (who's obviosuly not even playing the drums) and a sax player who knows 1 riff is not my idea of engaging.

Maybe you had to grow up in Baltimore.

I give this 2 stars because I can't fault the dialog or acting, which is fine but nothing to get all excited over. It's the story that is aimless.

Someone compared this to American Graffitti and I must comment on that. The only real comparison is that they both take place in the 50s and are about what people are going to do after high school (and those characters look like high school students). That movie has its hilarious parts, its serious parts, and its parts that make you cry. It has dozens of memorable scenes and you actually care about the characters.

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Barry Levinson's first and best film
Barry Levinson has been hailed as a great director on the basis of such films as Rain Man, Good Morning Vietnam and Bugsy. Diner is where his career began and remains the best film in his entire catalogue.

Diner takes place in Baltimore in the 1950s and tells the story of five young men hanging onto their high school antics by the skins of their teeths while coming to terms with fast-approaching adult responsibilities.

College, work, marriage, and responsibility in general threaten the quality time they spend hanging out at the Diner, discussing "What's on the B-Side?" and "Who's better: Sinatra or Mathis?" (The answer, of course: "Presley").

The film's laughs originate from its good ear for dialogue and the fantastic acting, which at times appears to be improvised. The film's young actors include Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, and Steve Guttenberg in the collective high point of their careers.

A thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud masterpiece.

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"Are you going to eat that?"
The first time I saw this film was as a teenager with my mother. Kids, learn from my mistake--DO NOT watch this film with your parents. I still have nightmares about the "Popcorn Scene."

I decided to watch Diner again recently, since I had little recollection of it. Given all of its critical acclaim and somewhat cult-status, I'd say I felt just a little let down. Really, I do mean a little:
--the storylines were interesting, but not fascinating;
--the "witty banter" at the diner was fun, but could have been better (think the coffee shop scene in Reservoir Dogs or the foot rub conversation in Pulp Fiction--now THAT's funny).

I think part of the reason for all of the accolades is that the film's "free-form" style was somewhat groundbreaking in 1982. It has been done better several times since then. Overall, I'd say this is a solid, entertaining film. Great? Nah.