A group of young men in Baltimore eat at the "Diner" in this 1982 film with a cast of actors who went on to varying levels of success: Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly, Paul Reiser, Michael Tucker, and Ellen Barkin.
Directed by Barry Levinson, "Diner" is an episodic look at childhood buddies, now twenty somethings in 1959 Baltimore who gather at the Fells Point Diner as they deal with the problems and opportunities of adulthood. Eddie (Guttenberg) is engaged to be married, but if his girlfriend Elyse can't pass a Colts quiz, the wedding's off. One of the guys, Shrevie (Stern)is already married to Beth (Barkin), but doesn't seem particularly happy. A music fanatic, he harangues at her for messing up his records. Beth, meanwhile, misses the good old days of attention from men and, unhappy, she thinks about having an affair.
Boogie (Rourke) is a hairdresser attending law school who plays the field, gambles, and is often in trouble because he can't pay his debts to the kind of people you don't disappoint. Billy (Daly) has been getting his MBA in college and returns to Baltimore to see his girlfriend Barb. Fen (Bacon) resents his family but lives off of his trust fund. Modell (Reiser) is generally insecure.
Funny, poignant, well acted, with a great sound track, Diner takes us through women problems, marital problems, virginity, pregnancy, money problems, family problems, sports, music, and the film "Sweet Smell of Success," and their childish bets.
For them, the Diner is a refuge, a place to be a kid again, all the while knowing that soon enough, they're all going to have to become responsible adults whether they like it or not. Life demands it.
All the actors give special performances with their characters well fleshed out: Rourke, with his soft voice and handsome face (why would anyone so adorable do what he did to his face?) belying all the difficulty he makes for himself; Daly as an uptight young man who wants to do the right thing; Reiser, with his easy line delivery; Bacon, the obnoxious rich kid; Guttenberg, the sports fanatic; Stern, the music nut. Michael Tucker is "Bagel," another diner customer, who helps Boogie out of a real mess.
A poignant ending, with a delightful bit of standup by Reiser, serves as a reminder that you can't stay a kid forever. But they'll always have the diner.
Directed by Barry Levinson, "Diner" is an episodic look at childhood buddies, now twenty somethings in 1959 Baltimore who gather at the Fells Point Diner as they deal with the problems and opportunities of adulthood. Eddie (Guttenberg) is engaged to be married, but if his girlfriend Elyse can't pass a Colts quiz, the wedding's off. One of the guys, Shrevie (Stern)is already married to Beth (Barkin), but doesn't seem particularly happy. A music fanatic, he harangues at her for messing up his records. Beth, meanwhile, misses the good old days of attention from men and, unhappy, she thinks about having an affair.
Boogie (Rourke) is a hairdresser attending law school who plays the field, gambles, and is often in trouble because he can't pay his debts to the kind of people you don't disappoint. Billy (Daly) has been getting his MBA in college and returns to Baltimore to see his girlfriend Barb. Fen (Bacon) resents his family but lives off of his trust fund. Modell (Reiser) is generally insecure.
Funny, poignant, well acted, with a great sound track, Diner takes us through women problems, marital problems, virginity, pregnancy, money problems, family problems, sports, music, and the film "Sweet Smell of Success," and their childish bets.
For them, the Diner is a refuge, a place to be a kid again, all the while knowing that soon enough, they're all going to have to become responsible adults whether they like it or not. Life demands it.
All the actors give special performances with their characters well fleshed out: Rourke, with his soft voice and handsome face (why would anyone so adorable do what he did to his face?) belying all the difficulty he makes for himself; Daly as an uptight young man who wants to do the right thing; Reiser, with his easy line delivery; Bacon, the obnoxious rich kid; Guttenberg, the sports fanatic; Stern, the music nut. Michael Tucker is "Bagel," another diner customer, who helps Boogie out of a real mess.
A poignant ending, with a delightful bit of standup by Reiser, serves as a reminder that you can't stay a kid forever. But they'll always have the diner.