The Dinner Page #4

Synopsis: A former history teacher and his wife Claire meet at a fancy restaurant with his elder brother, a prominent politician and his wife Babette. The plan is to discuss over dinner how to handle a crime committed by their teenage sons. The violent act of the two boys had been filmed by a security camera and shown on TV, but, so far, they have not been identified. The parents have to decide on what to do.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director(s): Oren Moverman
Production: Chubbco Film Co.
  1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
4.5
Metacritic:
57
Rotten Tomatoes:
45%
R
Year:
2017
120 min
Website
647 Views


Yeah, I can see

you're all broken up about it.

F*** you.

Don't be a baby.

F*** you!

[sighs] Ay-yi-yi-yi.

[somber music plays]

Paul:
It doesn't matter what we teach,

we learn nothing.

I've done nothing with my life.

He destroyed me.

Paul, he's a busy man.

He cares about you.

He's your brother.

You got to tell me

what's going on.

I'm okay.

I've been thinking

I'm not gonna write the book.

It's time to un-know it.

Did you take your pills?

Yes.

[tapping at door]

How's Mike?

Oh, he's good. He's good.

Do you want to talk to him?

[knocking]

Stan:
Paul?

[knocking]

Claire:
Paul. are you there?

[knocking]

Claire:
Paul, please pick up the phone.

[pounding continues]

All right, I'm coming, I'm coming.

- Hey.

- God.

- What-- Do you have a key?

- I'm gonna go get some ice.

Paul. Paul.

Please stop me if you've

heard this one before

Unless you ask me to.

So, very quickly starting by region,

Hudson Flower.

Um, so there you go.

Any questions.

Discreetly, pointedly.

And we're gonna do

something about it. Okay?

Me? What about you, Scarface?

You've always been against me?

This bill you've been working on.

What is it?

[exhales sharply]

The Mental Health Parity Act,

MHPAA.

It's about closing loopholes

in the Affordable Care Act.

I don't know why you think

that attacking me

Wow.

Sorry, Congressman,

I need you for a minute.

Five minutes.

Nobody else moves, okay?

[hip-hop song playing]

Hey, 'cause it's all

About the money a'

Yeah

'Cause it's all

About the money I'

'Cause it's all

About the money I'

[homeless woman screaming]

- Oh, no, no.

- No, no, no...

- Hey.

- Claire:
Porn in the kitchen?

- How are you?

- Good. Great. Fine.

That's three different answers.

Pick one. Any one.

You would not believe the day I've had.

Would you come

back to the table?

No.

Everything's fine.

You know, a house

divided against itself

- What the f*** were those

f***ing kids thinking?

They are good kids

and they took a wrong turn.

Can we go home now?

We need to hear them out.

Your brother,

he can be very practical.

He's a deal-maker.

Okay? So, don't antagonize him.

And lay off Kate.

Because we need them both.

I don't want you to get sick again.

But I'm...l'm perfectly fine.

Don't leave me ever again.

- Please don't die.

- Stop talking like that.

- I'm right here.

- Should've closed that door.

- And Michael was just standing there.

- I know. I know.

I know.

[humming]

Oh, boy.

Oh, sh*t.

Stan:
Hey.

- Hey, brother.

- Hey.

What are you doing here?

We just went by to see Claire

and wish her luck tomorrow.

- Right. Thank you.

- You're gonna invite us in?

- How are you doing, Paul?

- You should really have called first.

I try to make every meal

a celebration.

- Barbara:
How's he doing?

- He's doing okay. I'll go find him.

Mikey!

Mikey, your uncle is here.

And your aunt.

Come by tomorrow,

you can eat it off the floor.

Barbara:
We just want to talk to your dad

for a second. Okay, babe?

[footsteps on stairs]

Okay. Listen here, Paul.

We've been thinking.

- Go ahead.

- Thank you. You're an angel.

Barbara and I think

it might be best for Michael

Paul, let's get a maid in here,

and get you back on your feet.

Michael needs to start

going back to school.

We understand

what you're going through.

It could give you a little space,

you could relax, take care of yourself.

He puts on a brave face,

but children need a stable home.

Hey, listen.

Listen, Paul.

My son and I were about

to sit down to eat.

Listen, we just thought

with the operation tomorrow and all,

Come on, man.

This is--This is insane.

Come on. For Michael.

Barbara:
And for Claire.

Please, Paul.

I'll help you. I'll help you.

We'll all help you.

[sighs]

He should be talking to someone,

His mother is ill.

He needs strength.

He shouldn't feel that his father

can't deal with life anymore.

- You need to find your center.

- Yes.

Do you know anything

about meditation?

Claire and I agreed to keep things

as normal as possible for Michael.

Well, you should be with her

right now, okay?

Paul, Paul, listen to me.

We already spoke to Claire.

Barbara:

She agreed. It's all good.

Whose idea was it?

But I will not let you steal my son.

Don't worry about the food. Okay?

We can get him something else.

[upbeat song playing]

What I'm trying to say I'

I don't know why I'

XI drink all day I'

Here we have our dessert course.

- Oh, but you must have it. It's beyond--

- I must?

Antonio:
How is everything?

Having a great time.

I hear there was a problem

with the dessert. I'm horrified.

You know, the cork, the pin,

the dessert.

Of course, we can leave you alone.

You know,

I hope you understand that...

Believe me, he understands.

He's so obsequiously effete

and sycophantic.

Nina, could we have

some privacy, please?

Thank you.

Why don't we sit over here?

Katelyn, sit over there, please.

You two on the other side.

- Rick:
Dirty rotten shithole...

- Michael:
Wanna do this?

Michael:
Hey, come on,

let's f***ing do this. Let's do it.

Rick:

Are we gonna f***ing do this?

Here, b*tch.

[woman crying]

Rick:
Oh, sh*t.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

- Sh*t.

- Get something big.

I got her right

in the f***ing head, dude.

Excuse me, could you please

kindly open the door?

Holy f***.

[rummaging clatter]

- Look what I found.

- Ooh, there you go.

- [woman cries out]

- Don't scream all night, lady.

F***ing stink-o.

Get out of here.

Rick:
Let's go.

Oh, sh*t. Oh, sh*t.

[woman screaming]

[indistinct conversation within]

- Bullshit political spin on the wrong audience.

- Paul, Paul, Paul.

Thank you.

All right, I'm gonna try to explain.

We had a call from his school.

[sighs]

The most important thing for me

is my son, my son's future.

I think it's possible

Maybe...

this case will never be solved.

For the kids?

For us'?

I don't see myself

living my life thinking that...

that my son was involved in a murder.

Oh, wait, wait, wait a minute.

- I mean, this was an accident.

- It was, it was.

- That poor woman was savaged.

- Claire:
Poor woman? Oh, come on, Stan.

She was in their way, Stan.

Michael said things

just got out of hand.

These are good boys.

We have to protect the boys now,

for what's done is done.

- We have to work out what to do next.

- Yes, yes. Exactly. Thank you.

This is Rick and Michael's future

we're talking about.

I don't think our boys can live

with this poison inside them.

I spoke to Kate earlier, briefly,

this afternoon.

Sure. Go ahead, go ahead.

You're on your own.

I'm going to withdraw my candidacy.

For the good of my son, my family,

Michael, you, all of us.

- You can't do that.

- Katelyn:
Of course he can't.

To save our children.

You make a decision like this,

You have no right.

I won't let you.

It's unthinkable, it's--it's terrible.

But we have a responsibility as parents

to help them cope.

You don't want to live with this, fine.

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Herman Koch

Herman Koch (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦɛrmɑn kɔx]; born 5 September 1953) is a Dutch writer and actor. He has written short stories, novels, and columns. His best-selling novel The Dinner (2009) has been translated into 21 languages. He has acted for radio, television, and film. He co-created the long-running TV series Jiskefet (1990–2005). more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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