My Dinner with Andre.

Paul Bruening · November 23, 2009

Who's seen My Dinner with Andre? What did you think of it? Did it bother you that so many of the topics didn't make much sense? Did you notice how long the shots were or did you accommodate that without bother? Did it bug you that there was no detectable story? Did you yearn for any additional locations or more characters?

Basically, did it work for you?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082783/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzlgv5D-pWo

John Sprung · November 23, 2009

Yes, it does work. It's a tour de force of rule breaking.

-- J.S.

James Steven Beverly · November 23, 2009

I thought it worked beautifully. I've seen it several times and always fine it interesting. Once you go beyond the dialog and look deeper, you begin to see the struggle for this man's soul. In a weird sorta way Andre reminds me of Colonel Kurtz from Apocalypses Now in that both these men have lose themselves and have gone to the edge to find what the lost only to have fallen off. When Willard has that line "He broke from them, and then he broke from himself. I'd never seen a man so broken up and ripped apart." That could apply to Andre

in fact Andre's line "Of course there's a problem, because the closer you come, I think, to another human being, the more completely mysterious and unreachable that person becomes. I mean, you know, you have to reach out and you have to go back and forth with them, and you have to relate, and yet you're relating to a ghost or something. I don't know, because we're ghosts, we're phantoms. Who are we? And that's to face--to confront the fact that you're completely alone, and to accept that you're alone is to accept death." shows despite all his searching, he isn't any closer to finding what he lost than when he started and that speaks to the human condition. Andre take you through his journey of self discovery, painting the experiences through his eyes.

There is really no need for any other locations because the focus is this man, any other location or characters would be extraneous and distracting. There is a VERY detectable story here. The story is a man's personal journey to find the meaning of life, the fact that there is no definitive resolution only makes the piece more profound because there is not definitive answer to that question for any of us. Although one could always just go with Woody Allen's answer from Love and Death:

Sonja-Father Andre, holiest of holies, aged and wise, you are the most wrinkled man

in the entire country. Everyone says you're senile with age,

but you're the only one that can help me.

I don't think you're senile.

Priest- Where did you say the fish was caught?

Sonja- What fish?

Priest- Didn't you say something about fish? Tell Boris this. I have lived many years and, after many trials and tribulations, I have come to the conclusion

that the best thing is...

Sonja-Yes?

Priest- ..blond, 12-year-old girls.

Sonja-Father!

Priest- Two of them, whenever possible.

Sonia-Father, I counted on you.

Priest-I forgive you. I forgive you.

Sonja-Thank you, Your Grubbiness.

Edited November 23, 2009 by James Steven Beverly

Bruce Taylor · November 24, 2009

Hey Paul,

I would have to agree completely with John and James. An amazing work. I think it played for at least year in my town when it came out.

Bruce Taylor

www.indi35.com

David Rakoczy · November 24, 2009

One of my favorites.

John Holland · November 24, 2009

David one or your favorites !!!!! i am stunned . Its a french film !! well things are looking up !

James Steven Beverly · November 25, 2009

David one or your favorites !!!!! i am stunned . Its a french film !! well things are looking up !

John, I think you're thinking of another movie, My Dinner with Andre was shot in the abandoned Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia and NYC, stars to American actors, is set in NYC and is based events New York avant-garde theatrical director Andre Gregory's life although it was directed my Louis Malle so I guess it's SORTA French.

Edited November 25, 2009 by James Steven Beverly

Tom Jensen · November 25, 2009

I liked the movie a lot. I am somewhat partial since a my girlfriend's sister got the only other speaking role in the movie. Cindy Adkins played the hat check girl and I just noticed on IMDB that she didn't get a listing. We were all going to VCU in Richmond at the time when Louis Malle gave her the roll. The Jefferson was literally blocks away from campus.

Tom Jensen · November 25, 2009

I was 20 so Cindy would have been 19. She is interviewed at the end of the clip.

David Rakoczy · November 25, 2009

John, I think you're thinking of another movie, My Dinner with Andre was shot in the abandoned Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia and NYC, stars to American actors, is set in NYC and is based events New York avant-garde theatrical director Andre Gregory's life although it was directed my Louis Malle so I guess it's SORTA French.

Thanks Steven... I was wondering about that comment?????

James Steven Beverly · November 26, 2009

There are a lot of French films I like mainly Truffaut and Godard 's work but truth be told in my opinion, as far as foreign films go the Italians kick the France's ass every time. To me, next to American's who I truly believe make the best movies barr none, the Italians make the best films in the world. (THIS outta start some controversy :P )

Edited November 26, 2009 by James Steven Beverly

steve hyde · December 1, 2009

I have always been inspired by this film. It stands as a reminder that a fascinating film can be made with one camera, two actors and a single location.