Diner (film)
Encyclopedia
Diner is a 1982 comedy-drama film written and directed by Barry Levinson
. Levinson's screen directing debut, Diner is the first in his "Baltimore films", which also include the subsequent Tin Men
, Avalon and Liberty Heights
.
, in 1959, Diner tells the story of a group of male high school
friends, now in their twenties, who reunite for the wedding
of one of their group. The title refers to the Fells Point Diner, the group's late-night hangout. The semi-autobiographical
film explores the changing relationships among these friends as they become adults through what is mostly a series of vignettes
rather than a traditional narrative. Levinson encouraged improvisation
among his cast to capture naturalistic camaraderie.
television pilot written and directed by Levinson. Mike Binder
starred as Eddie, Paul Reiser
returned as Modell, Michael Madsen
took over as Boogie and James Spader
was Fenwick.
A Broadway musical version of Diner is set to open in Fall 2012. The musical's book will be written by Levinson and Sheryl Crow
will write the songs.
. It was ranked No. 57 by the American Film Institute
's 100 Years, 100 Laughs
list. Levinson also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Good Morning, Vietnam, Sleepers and Rain Man.-Early life:...
. Levinson's screen directing debut, Diner is the first in his "Baltimore films", which also include the subsequent Tin Men
Tin Men
Tin Men is a 1987 comedy film written and directed by Barry Levinson, produced by Mark Johnson and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Danny DeVito and Barbara Hershey. It is part of Levinson's series of "Baltimore Films", set in his hometown during the 1940s through the 1960s...
, Avalon and Liberty Heights
Liberty Heights
Liberty Heights is a 1999 comedy-drama film by writer-director Barry Levinson. It is a semi-autobiographical account of his childhood growing up in Baltimore in the 1950s. It marked the last appearance of Ralph Tabakin, who appeared in cameo roles in every Levinson movie since his first, Diner , a...
.
Plot
Set in Baltimore, MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, in 1959, Diner tells the story of a group of male high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
friends, now in their twenties, who reunite for the wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
of one of their group. The title refers to the Fells Point Diner, the group's late-night hangout. The semi-autobiographical
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
film explores the changing relationships among these friends as they become adults through what is mostly a series of vignettes
Vignette (literature)
In theatrical script writing, sketch stories, and poetry, a vignette is a short impressionistic scene that focuses on one moment or gives a trenchant impression about a character, an idea, or a setting and sometimes an object...
rather than a traditional narrative. Levinson encouraged improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
among his cast to capture naturalistic camaraderie.
Cast
- Steve GuttenbergSteve GuttenbergSteven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
as Edward "Eddie" Simmons - Daniel SternDaniel Stern (actor)Daniel Jacob Stern is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the Hollywood films C.H.U.D., Diner, City Slickers and the first two Home Alone films, and as the narrator for the television series The Wonder Years.-Early life:Stern was born in Bethesda, Maryland to a...
as Laurence "Shrevie" Schreiber - Mickey RourkeMickey RourkePhilip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
as Robert "Boogie" Sheftell - Kevin BaconKevin BaconKevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
as Timothy "Fen" Fenwick Jr. - Tim Daly as William "Billy" Howard
- Ellen BarkinEllen BarkinEllen Barkin is an American film, television and theatre actress.-Early life:She was born Ellen Rona Barkin in Bronx, a borough of New York City, New York, the daughter of Evelyn , a hospital administrator who worked at Jamaica Hospital, and Sol Barkin, a chemical salesman...
as Beth Schreiber - Paul ReiserPaul ReiserPaul Reiser is an American stand-up comedian, actor, television personality, author, screenwriter and musician. He is most widely known for his role on the long-running television sitcom Mad About You.-Early life:...
as Modell - Kathryn Dowling as Barbara
- Michael TuckerMichael Tucker (actor)Michael Tucker is an American actor and author, most widely known for his role in L.A. Law, a portrayal for which he received Emmy nominations three years in a row....
as Bagel - Jessica James as Mrs Simmons
- Colette Blonigan as Carol Heathrow
- Kelle Kipp as Diane
- Clement Fowler as Mr Simmons
- Claudia CronClaudia CronClaudia Cron is an American artist who, while attending Parson's School of Design was discovered by Eileen Ford and signed to Ford Models. She appeared in Vogue, and from 1979-1986 was under contract with Estee Lauder as the face of their line, Prescriptives...
as Jane Chisholm
Adaptations
The film inspired a 1983 CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television pilot written and directed by Levinson. Mike Binder
Mike Binder
Mike Binder is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor.-Life and career:A native of Detroit, Mike Binder grew up in Birmingham, one of the city's suburbs, and attended Camp Tamakwa, which formed the basis for his 1993 film Indian Summer...
starred as Eddie, Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser is an American stand-up comedian, actor, television personality, author, screenwriter and musician. He is most widely known for his role on the long-running television sitcom Mad About You.-Early life:...
returned as Modell, Michael Madsen
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
took over as Boogie and James Spader
James Spader
James Todd Spader is an American actor best known for his eccentric roles in movies such as Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Crash, Stargate, and Secretary...
was Fenwick.
A Broadway musical version of Diner is set to open in Fall 2012. The musical's book will be written by Levinson and Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
will write the songs.
Reception
The film maintains a 96 percent score at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. It was ranked No. 57 by the American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
's 100 Years, 100 Laughs
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs
Part of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's 100 Years…100 Laughs is a list of the top 100 funniest movies in American cinema. A wide variety of comedies were nominated for the distinction that included slapstick comedy, screwball comedy, romantic comedy, satire, black comedy, musical comedy, comedy of...
list. Levinson also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.