Dinner Rush
Encyclopedia
Dinner Rush is an independent feature film, written by Brian S. Kalata and Rick Shaughnessy. Directed by Bob Giraldi
. It stars Danny Aiello
as a restaurateur-bookmaker
in New York City's Tribeca
neighborhood and Edoardo Ballerini
as his son, the restaurant's star chef. It concerns converging pressures from the son and his gambling Sous-chef who work in the kitchen, as well as organized crime. Aside from one sequence before the opening credits, it adheres to two of the three Classical unities
, time and space. All of the events after the opening credits occur during one evening at the restaurant or just outside.
's book "151 Best Movies You've Never Seen." Elvis Mitchell
of The New York Times
described it as "a mouth-watering display of talent, technique, and patience," with "more intrigues here than in the court of the Medicis."
Bob Giraldi
Bob Giraldi is an American film and television director best known for directing the music video for Michael Jackson's song "Beat It." His work has garnered many accolades, including several , , NY International Awards, Addy Awards, and hundreds of Clio Awards...
. It stars Danny Aiello
Danny Aiello
Daniel Louis "Danny" Aiello, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in numerous motion pictures, including Once Upon a Time in America, Ruby, The Godfather: Part II, Hudson Hawk, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Moonstruck, Léon, Two Days in the Valley, and Dinner Rush...
as a restaurateur-bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
in New York City's Tribeca
TriBeCa
Tribeca is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York in the United States. Its name is an acronym based on the words "Triangle below Canal Street", and is properly bounded by Canal Street, West Street, Broadway, and Vesey Street...
neighborhood and Edoardo Ballerini
Edoardo Ballerini
Edoardo Ballerini is an actor, writer and director. He is best known for his work on screen as junkie Corky Caporale in The Sopranos , a hotheaded chef in the indie hit Dinner Rush , and an NFL businessman in the blockbuster Romeo Must Die...
as his son, the restaurant's star chef. It concerns converging pressures from the son and his gambling Sous-chef who work in the kitchen, as well as organized crime. Aside from one sequence before the opening credits, it adheres to two of the three Classical unities
Classical unities
The classical unities, Aristotelian unities or three unities are rules for drama derived from a passage in Aristotle's Poetics. In their neoclassical form they are as follows:...
, time and space. All of the events after the opening credits occur during one evening at the restaurant or just outside.
Characters
- Louis Cropa, the restaurant owner played by Danny AielloDanny AielloDaniel Louis "Danny" Aiello, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in numerous motion pictures, including Once Upon a Time in America, Ruby, The Godfather: Part II, Hudson Hawk, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Moonstruck, Léon, Two Days in the Valley, and Dinner Rush...
. Mr. Cropa denies rumors that he is, or once was, tied to the Mafia. His son is the master chef, whose experimental recipes steer the menu away from more traditional Italian cuisine, despite Mr. Cropa's protests. Mr. Cropa also treats sous-chef Duncan like a son, despite disapproval of Duncan's gambling problem. - Udo "King" Cropa, the head chef played by Edoardo BalleriniEdoardo BalleriniEdoardo Ballerini is an actor, writer and director. He is best known for his work on screen as junkie Corky Caporale in The Sopranos , a hotheaded chef in the indie hit Dinner Rush , and an NFL businessman in the blockbuster Romeo Must Die...
. Udo is a brilliant chef, but disapproves of the traditional Italian dishes favored by his father. In the movie, the viewer sees him prepare a shelled and chopped-up lobster dish in a cream sauce flavored with vanilla, with fried spaghetti used as garnish. He commands the kitchen with an iron fist, and feels that he should be made partner in the restaurant, since much of the business's success is due to Udo's original recipes. - Sean, the bartender played by Jamie HarrisJamie Harris (actor)Jamie Harris is an English actor. He is the son of actor Richard Harris and socialite Elizabeth Rees-Williams. His two brothers are actor Jared Harris and director Damian Harris.-Life and career:...
. In addition to being a skilled bartender, Sean has an encyclopedic knowledge of trivia, and earns extra money by challenging his patrons to bet on stumping him. - Duncan, the sous-chef played by Kirk AcevedoKirk AcevedoKirk Acevedo is an American actor. He is primarily known for his portrayals of Miguel Alvarez in the HBO series Oz, Joe Toye in Band of Brothers and FBI Agent Charlie Francis in the science-fiction series Fringe....
. A skilled chef in his own right, Duncan often ends up making the off-menu traditional Italian dishes that are forbidden by Udo, but often ordered by Louis Cropa and other customers. Duncan is a gambling addict heavily in debt to both the mob and his employer, Louis Cropa, who treats Duncan like a son. In the movie, he attempted to save his $13,000 debt by putting it all on St. John's to win in a home game at Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, the opponent is not known. - Carmen, a loan shark played by Mike McGloneMike McGloneMike McGlone is an American actor, singer and songwriter.He is perhaps best known as the film noiresque spokesman for GEICO insurance posing rhetorical questions in the vein of Robert Stack or Rod Serling, which are then acted out in humorous fashion.McGlone's best-known film credits include two...
. Carmen wants to muscle his way into a partnership in the restaurant. - Fitzgerald, a powerful art critic played by Mark MargolisMark MargolisMark Margolis is an American actor who has been making films since 1976.Margolis went to Temple University briefly before moving to New York City, where he studied drama with Stella Adler and at the Actors Studio...
. Fitzgerald likes to complain, pontificate on the nature of art, and insult the people around him. - Marti, the head waitress played by Summer PhoenixSummer PhoenixSummer Joy Phoenix is an American actress and model. She is the youngest sibling of the late River Phoenix, Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, and Liberty Phoenix, and is married to actor Casey Affleck.-Early life:...
. She is responsible for training new servers, to the point of putting emphasis on the nuances of pronunciation of every Italian dish on the menu in an authentic Italian manner. However, it was later known that she was an undiscovered artist. - Jennifer Freely, a celebrity food critic and restaurant reviewer played by Sandra BernhardSandra BernhardSandra Bernhard is an American comedian, singer, actress and author. She first gained attention in the late 1970s with her stand-up comedy in which she often bitterly critiques celebrity culture and political figures. Bernhard is number 97 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest standups of...
. Like Fitzgerald, Jennifer likes to complain and use her celebrity to get special treatment. She is an ex-girlfriend of Udo's, and they are still on a friendly basis. - Nicole Chan, a restaurant employee played by Vivian WuVivian WuVivian Wu , is a Chinese actress, known for her roles in The Last Emperor , Heaven & Earth , The Joy Luck Club , and The Pillow Book and as the historical figure of Soong May-ling, commonly referred to as Madam Chiang Kai-shek, in two major Chinese motion pictures The Soong Sisters and The...
. In charge of taking reservations for the restaurant, Nicole is dating both Duncan and Udo, clearly preferring her relationship to Duncan. - Ken Roloff, a secret incognito hitman hired by Louis (played by John Corbett) as he plotted to avenge Enrico's death before the opening credits. He is a Wall Street stock trader by trade.
Critical Reception
Dinner Rush has a 91% positive rating from Rotten Tomatoes, and is included in Leonard MaltinLeonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
's book "151 Best Movies You've Never Seen." Elvis Mitchell
Elvis Mitchell
Elvis Mitchell is an American film critic, host of the public radio show The Treatment, and visiting lecturer at Harvard University. He has served as a film critic for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the LA Weekly, The Detroit Free Press, and The New York Times...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described it as "a mouth-watering display of talent, technique, and patience," with "more intrigues here than in the court of the Medicis."