Melvin Goes to Dinner
Encyclopedia
Melvin Goes to Dinner is a 2003
American
film
adaptation of Michael Blieden's stage play Phyro-Giants!, directed by Bob Odenkirk
. Blieden wrote the screenplay from his stage play, and he also stars in the film (as he did in the Los Angeles
stage production), along with Stephanie Courtney
, Matt Price and Annabelle Gurwitch
.
wrote the music for the film. The film won the Audience Award at the 2003 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas
, and the Best Picture and Best Ensemble Awards at the Phoenix Film Festival
.
The movie provides an interesting sidelight of "spot the actor", since it uses many actors who are mainliners in other television productions, such as Odenkirk's former Mr. Show co-star David Cross as a self-help seminar leader. However, the main characters are all played by the stage actors who performed in the Los Angeles stage production on which the screenplay is based.
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
adaptation of Michael Blieden's stage play Phyro-Giants!, directed by Bob Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk
Robert "Bob" Odenkirk is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer. He is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the HBO sketch comedy series Mr...
. Blieden wrote the screenplay from his stage play, and he also stars in the film (as he did in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
stage production), along with Stephanie Courtney
Stephanie Courtney
Stephanie Courtney is an American actress and comedienne, best known for playing the advertising character Flo in television commercials for Progressive Insurance and is noted for her recurring roles on several television shows, including the voices of Renee the Receptionist and Joy Peters on the...
, Matt Price and Annabelle Gurwitch
Annabelle Gurwitch
Annabelle Gurwitch is an American comedic actress. She is best known as the original hostess of TBS's Dinner and a Movie. She is also a noted author and columnist and was most recently the host of Wa$ted! on Planet Green....
.
Plot
Melvin is a onetime medical student who has dropped out of medical training and now works (after a fashion) in a planning office of an unnamed city; the office supervisor is his big sister, so she "mothers" him instead of making him perform well. Melvin accidentally makes telephone contact with an old friend, and they decide to meet that evening for dinner. The friend decides to arrive early at the restaurant for drinks with a lady friend. By the time the dinner appointment arrives, there are 4 people involved, all of them connected in some way to at least one of the other parties. The evening passes in a leisurely dinner with much conversation, sometimes intimate. The connections between the parties are revealed throughout the evening. The movie includes several flashbacks, which at the start are not explained but which become understandable by the end.Production
Michael PennMichael Penn
Michael Penn is an American singer, songwriter and composer. He is the eldest son of actor/director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan, and the brother of actors Sean Penn and the late Chris Penn.-Career:...
wrote the music for the film. The film won the Audience Award at the 2003 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, and the Best Picture and Best Ensemble Awards at the Phoenix Film Festival
Phoenix Film Festival
Phoenix Film Festival is a festival that celebrates feature films and their creators. The celebration takes place annually in the city of Phoenix, Arizona...
.
The movie provides an interesting sidelight of "spot the actor", since it uses many actors who are mainliners in other television productions, such as Odenkirk's former Mr. Show co-star David Cross as a self-help seminar leader. However, the main characters are all played by the stage actors who performed in the Los Angeles stage production on which the screenplay is based.
Cast
- Writer: Michael Blieden
- Screenplay: Michael Blieden
- Director: Bob OdenkirkBob OdenkirkRobert "Bob" Odenkirk is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer. He is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the HBO sketch comedy series Mr...
- Melvin: Michael Blieden
- Joey: Matt Price
- Alex: Stephanie CourtneyStephanie CourtneyStephanie Courtney is an American actress and comedienne, best known for playing the advertising character Flo in television commercials for Progressive Insurance and is noted for her recurring roles on several television shows, including the voices of Renee the Receptionist and Joy Peters on the...
- Sarah: Annabelle GurwitchAnnabelle GurwitchAnnabelle Gurwitch is an American comedic actress. She is best known as the original hostess of TBS's Dinner and a Movie. She is also a noted author and columnist and was most recently the host of Wa$ted! on Planet Green....
- Waitress: Kathleen Roll
- Hostess: Jenna FischerJenna FischerRegina Marie "Jenna" Fischer is an American actress and director. She is most widely known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Pam Halpert on the NBC situation comedy and mockumentary The Office, and has also appeared in several films, including Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,...
- Tranice: Melora WaltersMelora WaltersMelora Walters is an American actress.-Personal life:Walters was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia to American parents. She was partly raised there and in Holland. Walters attended high school at Lake Forest Academy-Ferry Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois...
(uncredited) - Keith: Bob OdenkirkBob OdenkirkRobert "Bob" Odenkirk is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer. He is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the HBO sketch comedy series Mr...
- Leslie: Maura TierneyMaura TierneyMaura Therese Tierney is an American film and television actress, who is best known for her roles as Lisa Miller on NewsRadio and Abby Lockhart on the television medical drama ER.-Early life:...
- Rita: Jacqueline Heinze
- Laura: Laura KightlingerLaura KightlingerLaura Kightlinger is an American actress, comedian and writer. She may be best known for her role as Nurse Sheila on Will & Grace.-Early life:Kightlinger was born and raised in Jamestown, New York...
- Vesa: Fred ArmisenFred ArmisenFred Armisen is an American actor, comedian and musician best known for his work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and portraying off-color foreigners in various comedy films such as EuroTrip, Anchorman and Cop Out...
- Solly: Jerry MinorJerry MinorJerry C. Minor is an American actor, comedian and writer known for his comedic roles in numerous television programs such as Mr. Show, Saturday Night Live, Delocated, Crossballs, Carpoolers and Lucky Louie....
- Psychiatric Patient: Jack BlackJack BlackJack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
(uncredited) - (extra): Kristin Wiig
- (extra): Bill Odenkirk (brother of Bob Odenkirk)
- (extra): Jennifer Courtney
- (extra): Allan HaveyAllan HaveyAllan Havey is an American stand-up comic and actor. He started his career as a comedian in New York City in 1981. He made his national debut in 1986 on Late Night with David Letterman and made many appearances on the show throughout the 1980s and 1990s...
- (extra): Don McEnery
- (extra): Nathan Odenkirk (son of Bob and Naomi Odenkirk)
- (extra): Scott AdsitScott AdsitScott Adsit is an American actor, writer and improvisational comedian. He is currently co-starring as Pete Hornberger in the hit NBC comedy 30 Rock and worked in the Adult Swim stop-motion animation programs Moral Orel and Mary Shelley's Frankenhole.-1990s:After attending Columbia College Chicago,...
- (extra): Scarlett Lam
- (extra): Wendy Rae Fowler
- (extra): Susan Chuang
- (extra): Michele Fitzgerald
- (extra): Jennifer Biederman
- (extra): Tucker SmallwoodTucker SmallwoodTucker Smallwood is an American actor, author and vocalist.-Early life:From 1967 to 1970, Smallwood served in the United States Army Airborne Infantry. Commanding a Mobile Advisory Team during the Vietnam War, he was wounded in action...
- (extra): B. J. Porter
- (extra): James Gunn