DINNER RUSH
A brilliant drama with a touch of the Mob
“One unlucky evening, Louis Cropa (Danny Aiello), a part-time bookmaker, discovers that his restaurant has become a hotbed of conflicting characters. In addition to having to please a whiny food critic (Sandra Bernhard), Louis must fend off a hostile takeover from a pair of gangsters (Michael McGlone), to whom his sous-chef (Kirk Acevedo) is in debt. Further, Louis has an argument with his son (Edoardo Ballerini), the star chef, whose culinary creativity has brought success to the business.”
Thank you Rotten Tomatoes. This fell between fish and foul (on the menu) so a lot of people missed it. Many movies and series center around restaurants, from the wonderful Big Night to the execrable Black Rabbit. Dinner Rush towers over all. There’s never a dull moment, from the opening scene, in which the mob plots to take over the Gigino Trattoria, to the restaurant itself. This movie snaps, crackles and pops. The sous-chef’s love life interrupts service. Mobsters demand a better table. The staff dreads the arrival of sneering food critic Jennifer Freely, a part Sandra Bernhard was born to play.
Mark Margolis’ arrogant art critic Fitzgerald is mesmerizing, setting up an emotional mic drop whenhe learns his charming waitress is really a painter. And that the wall paintings Fitzgerald has been smack-talking all night are hers. Margolis has been unforgettable in so many films, from Scarface to Breaking Bad’s Hector Salamanca.
Freely finally arrives. What a bitch. Chef Udo nearly charms her out of her pants. If it weren’t for her more attractive friend, he would have. Then there’s the charming fellow at the end of the bar who just wants to drink and watch the crowd. Women find him irrestible. He’s funny, friendly, just wants to drink and watch the crowd.
The ending comes as both a complete surprise and in retrospect, inevitable. Which is how a great ending should come. Planet of the Apes is a perfect example. Of course it was Earth!
My friends, the first volume of Biker was released this week from Wolfpack. If you love modern noir, solid stolid heroes and monstrous villains, check it out. This is a brand new edition, thank you Wolfpack, because every Biker had the same cover and people though they were all the same book. They couldn’t be more different. Here’s what Studio Jake said:
You can find my graphic novels at baroncomics.com. We’re launching Bronze Star 2 by the end of March. Bronzestarcomic.com
