Diner

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Starring: Steve Guttenberg
Rated: R (Restricted)
Type: DVD
Directed By: Barry Levinson
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: 1999-04-04
Running Time: 110 minutes
The film that launched successful careers for Kevin Bacon, Ellen Barkin, Paul Reiser, Mickey Rourke and more! It's a lively, poignant tale of friends trying to recapture their lost innocence in 1959 Baltimore.

Diner: The Film that Launched a Dozen Careers.
"Suddenly, life was more than french fries, gravy and girls."

I like this film a lot. Diner is the first film directed by Barry Levinson (Liberty Heights; Tin Men). The 1982 comedy-drama also launched the acting careers of Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Timothy Daly, Ellen Barkin, and Paul Reiser. The film's plot is deceptively simple. Set in 1959 Baltimore, Diner tells of the coming-of-age story of five high-school friends, now in their twenties, who reunite over the holidays for the wedding of one of their pals, Eddie Simmons (Steve Guttenberg). The film's title refers to the Fells Point Diner, where the guys find comfort in just hanging out. Mickey Rourke plays Robert "Boogie" Sheftell, a gambling womanizer interested in seducing his friend's wife. The role jump started Rourke's career. Ultimately, the five friends learn two important lessons, giving this film its poignant emotional and intellectual depth: (1) that it is difficult for adolescent men to understand women, and (2) that it is time for them to lose their immaturity and confront adulthood, leaving their Diner days behind. Highly recommended.

G. Merritt

"There's not that much of a story, really. What do we do? We drive around..." Kevin Bacon
Diner, Barry Levinson's writing and directing debut belongs to so-called "small" or "minor" movies and it indeed does not have spectacular locations, breathtaking action sequences or even dramatic story. As Kevin Bacon comments in the Behind the Scenes Documentary, "There's not that much of a story, really. What do we do? We drive around..." What the movie has is "a very honest portrayal of a group...of guys that people relate to on a very personal level." The different generations of viewers react to film with devotion and recognition, and Diner has become one of the beloved long time cult favorites. Based on its writer/director's memories of growing up in Baltimore, the film takes place during the week between Christmas and New Year in 1959, and tells of the friendship of five guys in their early twenties. During the course of the film, we will get to know the young men, their fears of growing up, facing responsibilities, and making decisions, their fascination and insecurities with the girls.

From his Oscar-nominated script, BL makes the study of young men who hesitate to grow up but rather hang out in their beloved Diner. Daniel Stern's 'Shrevie' is an owner of LP collection that he seems to value more than his young and pretty wife (Ellen Barkin in her film debut). Mickey Rourke, played his best role (at least, IMO) as Boogy, the cynical womanizer with the most charming smile. Steve Guttenberg's Eddie puts his fiancée through the enormously difficult football quiz and the passing score is the must for the marriage because he is scared to get married. Kevin Bacon plays Fenwick, a permanently drunk and lost kid, the character much darker than the rest of the guys. Timothy Daly is Bill who seems to be the most successful of the bunch, and know what he wants but can't make the girl he loves to love him. By making Diner, Levinson actually put his native city, sleepy and provincial 1959 Baltimore, on the cinema map, and that's just one of movie's pleasures. And there are plenty. Diner is filled with authentic and believable scenes, situations, and conversations that everyone can relate to. The Diner's menu has a lot to offer to the grateful viewers and fans of the insightful, ironic, entertaining, small but bright and shiny gem. Barry Levinson does not flatter six protagonists but he understands them and loves them because he sees in them the indelible part of his own life, his experiences, and his own childhood friends. As another great film about childhood friendship says, "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"

Barry Levinson went on to create many good and very good films after Diner. These are just a few: The Natural, Good Morning, Vietnam; Bugsy; Avalon; Sleepers, An Everlasting Piece, Disclosure, Wag the Dog, and his Oscar winner "Rain Man" but Diner will always have a very special place for me. This is the film I keep coming back to again and again, and as the time passes it only gets better.

A guy film girls will love too
This is a film about a bunch of guys on the threshold of adulthood, set in 1950's Baltimore. I'm not a guy, have never been to Baltimore and don't have much in common with any of them. But I loved the film! As Barry Levinson, the director, says in the added feature, when you are really specific to time, place and character, the appeal is universal. He did a great job in making this film and one can feel the affection he has for the town and that time in his life.

Each fellow has some serious life problem to confront, many of which involve relationships with women. It's not just a fluff, teen age movie--the situations are genuine and have consequences. But the good nature of the guys--maybe the fact that they are still at the age where life can be a blast--makes the film really funny.

It was fun for me to see the cast--many of whom are now very well known, when they were young and starting out. Kevin Bacon's performance was a real surprise--I thought he was terrific as a rather complex, self destructive guy. Micky Rourke started out as someone rather loathesome but he turned out to be a heart-warmer. His hairdo is worth the price of the DVD. Timothy Daly, really good looking, is the token sensitive guy. Ellen Barkin does a lovely job as the lone female in the group. Steve Guttenberg is the spoiled kid you want to swat but has something lovable about him too. Paul Reiser is always the smart talking funny guy.

I suppose I could take offense at the way they "objectify" women...but it's all done with so much warmth and humor that it was easy to just sit back and laugh. The film reminded me some of American Graffiti but I liked this much better.

Diner
Levinson's vivid, heartfelt ensemble comedy provided an outstanding showcase for up-and-comers Rourke, Stern, Guttenberg, Barkin, and Bacon. The script is funny and knowing, and the natural, often overlapping flow of dialogue gives off the authentic feel of improvisation. Levinson recreates the city of his youth with loving detail. A rich human comedy with a big heart.

Theatrical History in the making!
I saw this many years ago and was happy to finaly find it on DVD. This is a who's who of film history. What a cast of hopeful and promising talent. I Loved the guy perspective, something you didn't see much of back then. Mickey Rourke was looking good!