Video review: Dinner rush - great film, great food
It's no surprise that music video veteran Bob Giraldi’s film debut, Dinner Rush, is a visual masterpiece.
But it’s also a perfectly formed little drama with well-defined characters, superior acting and a terrific twist in the tale.
It’s a busy night at Gigino’s, a trendy Italian eatery in New York where owner Louie (Danny Aiello) is trying to make some big decisions regarding his prima-donna chef son (Edoardo Ballerini), a cook with a gambling problem (Kirk Acevedo), a vicious young thug (Mike McGlone) and the daughter (Polly Draper) of his recently murdered partner.
Meanwhile, colourful customers (John Corbett, Sandra Bernhard, Mark Margolis, et al) enjoy the culinary delights, unaware of the serious drama gurgling downstairs. Or are they as innocent as they seem?
The film is so beautifully assembled that it draws us in instantly and keeps us thoroughly engaged with the characters.
Natural rhythms of humour, jealousy, ambition and grief flow through the story, set off by Giraldi’s impeccable editing, clever and lush camera work, a lovely score and an expert use of lighting and sound.
The large ensemble cast is terrific, and the multi-strand plot is woven coherently together, cleverly building tension while examining the conflict between old and new - both the cuisine and the mob.
And the food looks fantastic.
Drama, 15.4/5
