Dinner Party (2021) User Reviews

A wonderful ensemble delivers on the deliciously nuanced script

[SoundofMusicRouge · 10/10 · 19 August 2022]

A High school Reunion coincides with the day a verdict is handed down in a sexual assault trial. As the boys reconnect their bonds from a decade ago, the deep dark secrets of their relationships are peeled, layer by layer.

In this new world, their backgrounds, their races, their sexes, and their cultures which didn't seem to matter in high school come to the forefront. And at the dinner table where the wine and food flowed, something else was served-the truth from events ten years ago.

Every single cast member contributed to bring the script onto the screen. The scenes were intimate, credible, and lead the audience through the ups and downs of the emotional roller coaster that every character went through.

The neat part about the film was that everyone was a lead and everyone was a support character.

In an era where deep dialogue about sensitive topics are often wrapped into soundbites, it was refreshing to watch a movie doing a deep dive into the multiple layers of emotions that people have to deal with when facing their past.

Characters you can relate with

[mighty-16969 · 10/10 · 19 August 2022]

Very modern real topics. Well written and loved the cast~. I had a similar group dynamic growing up and it really rang true to home. The ongoing trial in the background was a really nice touch to set the dynamic and tone of the dinner party. Overall a really well done movie with very down to earth characters you can relate with.

The glowing reviews are probably friends of the actors

[TheDome81 · 3/10 · 24 October 2022]

Let me start of my saying, I was looking for something interesting to watch. This movie popped up on. Hoopla, which was in my queue. So I checked with IMDB and noticed it got a rating of 8.9, which is extremely high on here. The low number of reviews should have made me suspicious.

Well, let me say, it's not a bad movie. It had an interesting premise and the writing wasn't bad. But the acting was pretty amateurish. The dialogue was pretty stilted. So while it wasn't a bad movie it wasn't all that great.

I went back to check on the reviewers. They all had recently signed up to IMDB and this was the only movie they've reviewed. Suspicion confirmed!

A complex and nuanced look at a complex and nuanced subject

[mckaig · 9/10 · 28 December 2022]

I was impressed with the film. It had a slow start but once it takes off it doesn't shy away from the difficult discussions on this topic. Its handling of subjects like racism, privilege, feminism and sexual assault seemed very realistic - like real life, people are at different points in their journey of understanding. I think if anything it was useful to watch a group of people grapple with these topics, so many wanting to do the right thing, be good people, and trying to figure out what that means today. As well, reconciling that the past was indeed a different time but that harm occurred all the time and there needs to be a reckoning for trauma and harm caused. I would recommend this film.

Brilliant work!

[CPO777 · 9/10 · 22 August 2022]

It is a 90-minute film that depicts various realities about multiracial friendships, values in different social backgrounds, and differences in individual ways of thinking. It also raises the issue of racism and discrimination against women. The characters are well portrayed in this film and I think this is a very good indie film. Worth to watch it if you live in the real world.