Diner

DINER (15)

D: Barry Levinson

MGM/United Artists (Jerry Weintraub)

USA 🇺🇸 1982

110 mins

Comedy/Drama

W: Barry Levinson

DP: Peter Sova

Ed: Stu Linder

Steve Guttenberg (Eddie), Daniel Stern (Shrevie), Mickey Rourke (Boogie), Kevin Bacon (Fenwick), Timothy Daly (Billy), Ellen Barkin (Beth), Paul Reiser (Modell), Kathryn Dowling (Barbara)

The first of Barry Levinson's "Baltimore trilogy" (merely a trilogy of films set in the director/writer's hometown).

Set in 1959, the story follows a group of college students and their various lives and personal problems.

The film carefully balances between comedy and drama without fully committing to either genre. As a nostalgic character study it works best, with a handful of good performances, some memorable scenes and sporadically witty dialogue.

8/10