FANTASIA 2020 Review - 'Dinner in America'
Dir Adam Rehmeier, 106 Min (USA)
Fresh out of jail and down on his luck a bit, Simon (Kyle Gallner) finds an unlikely place to hide out in an old classmate's house, Patty (Emily Skeggs). On the outside she's just like her straight laced, uptight parents (Mary Lynn Rajskub and Pat Healy) and brother Kevin (Griffin Gluck), and though her desires are dark, she exudes a naive sweetness. Simon, unknowingly to her, is also the ski-masked frontman to her favorite punk band Psyops. He's going to turn her world upside down, while a large gig for his band on the horizon could mean a big exposure...and is the least punk thing Simon could possibly imagine.
Produced in part by Ben Stiller, this anarchic, dark comedy is an oddly sweet love story that still remains rough around the edges and doesn't lose it's tone along the way. Writer/director Adam Rehmeier, best known for 2011's experimental, avant garde (and highly divisive) The Bunny Game, still maintains an outsider, indie feel for a much more streamlined movie, though the structure is a bit scattered. Gallner's a bit over the top in the attempt to be a "fuck it all, but I'm likable"kind of character, though he does settle into the role and completely own it by the end. Skeggs is the real MVP here; she's especially good in her blossoming from a bud into a wildflower, charmingly nerdy and sweet while attempting to be the nihilist inside. Simon also has a big effect on Patty's family with a good dose of weed, resulting in a really funny scene for Healy and Rajskub, two largely unnoticed character actors I enjoy spotting.
Overall, this is enjoyable. I appreciate the effort and how unusual the movie is while still attempting to retain a formulaic rom-com approach. The satirical elements sadly didn't work as much for me as I think they were supposed to, so some of the movie feels absolutely joyless and drew me out -- not to mention also being slow at times. The best part that I came away with, oddly, is that there's a fairly simple, catchy song that Simon and Patty make together that I can't remove from my head. The movie ends really well, and I wouldn't mind seeing it again in a few years, but it's not a fun or funny enough experience to fully recommend.
In addition to playing Fantasia 2020, there's no word yet on distribution, but look out for the movie to continue the festival circuit.
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