Dinner with Friends (2001) (TV)

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers (WGA):

Donald Margulies (play)
Donald Margulies (teleplay)

Release Date:

11 August 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Can Your Marriage Survive, Your Best Friends Divorce.

Plot:

A husband and wife reevaluate their marriage after their closest friends, another couple decide to split up after twelve years.

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Food | Friendship | Friend | New York City

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Dennis Quaid	...	Gabe
Andie MacDowell	...	Karen
Greg Kinnear	...	Tom
Toni Collette	...	Beth
Taylor Emerson	...	Danny
Jake Fritz	...	Isaac
Holliston Coleman	...	Laurie
Angus T. Jones	...	Sammy
Beau Holden	...	Al
Dina Morrone	...	Hostess
Ruth Reichl	...	Herself
Romulo Yanes	...	Gourmet Photographer

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

94 min | Argentina:107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-3 | USA:R | Argentina:13 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Malibu, California, USA

Company:

HBO Films

Trivia:

The play "Dinner with Friends" won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 2000.

Goofs:

Continuity: 15 minutes into the movie, just before Gabe says "Beth, I'm sorry", the clock in the kitchen reads 8:50. A few seconds later, the clock in the foyer reads 8:20.

Quotes:

Tom: This is gonna hurt you more than it's gonna hurt me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2002) (TV)

HBO Scores Big!!!

In a long series of original HBO movies, the predecessor being "WIT". "Dinner With Friends" turned out to be one of the best dramatic shows HBO has produced. First of all to get a top-notch director such as Norman Jewison and Pulitzer Prize winning play to work with, they were ahead before they began. All four major stars, Quaid, Kinnear, MacDowell, and Collette more than succeeded with their tasks, but it was the two long scenes between Greg and Dennis that raised this show to greater heights. Greg Kinnear has come so far in such a short time as an actor and he can hold his own with anybody now. I think I've seen every film Dennis Quaid has made and "DWF" is his finest work to date. If you've ever worked as a professional actor or director, you know that the easiest scene to play is "anger" and the most difficult is maintaining an audience's interest while you're playing low-key drama. The low-key counterplay and interaction between these two men was superb! It was often said of the late Geraldine Page that she could act in a whole movie or a three act play and know everything she was thinking if she had NO dialogue. Quaid and Kinnear were excellent listeners and responded to each other in the same way as Page. Besides the rich and powerful screenplay, the icing on the piece was placed with Dave Grusin's melodic score, a-la "The Fabulous Baker Boys". The 90+ minute movie ran the gamut of emotion for its audience. I was moved from tears to laughing out loud and anger to surprise. I only hope when next years Emmy nominations are announced, people will still remember this film in August 2001. Dennis Quaid and Greg Kinnear should be at the top of the list. Thumbs UP and four solid stars!