stephenlovelette You gotta love a movie that holds up.Not much needs to be said.Written and directed by Barry Levinson, nominated for Best Screenplay and set in Baltimore 1959.I'll try not to spoil anything, because if you like movies and haven't seen this gem, you must catch it soon. It's funny, poignant and has a spectacular cast.I can't get enough of Paul Reiser's character, Modell. Good Golly he's funny.Discussing the concept of evolution, Reiser speaks one of my favorite lines, "The guy who makes up this stuff it's the stupidest thing I've ever heard - people do not come from swamps. They come from Europe."This line comes from potentially the best post-movie credit sequence I've ever seen (or rather, heard). It's a philosophical comedic audio layover, a bonus diner conversation; an adequate apology for the abrupt freeze-frame ending.I love how Reiser's constantly hassling Steve Guttenberg's character for rides. They're all such close friends, Reiser manages to never actually ask for the lift, he always gets The Gute to offer.A young Mickey Rourke is almost unrecognizable in this film. And he delivers a spectacular performance.Daniel Stern's character is also great, now that I think about it. You know him from Home Alone. His character is such a well-meaning fella. When he argues with his wife over his records, you don't know who to root for, and it'll set your heart-strings aquiver.It can get dusty at times.Stern also has a great moment with Guttenberg, when he explains that getting married doesn't necessarily make life any easier.Kevin Bacon's character is, as always, excellently executed. He is like a tightly wound spring, but worth much more than first appears.The minor character who memorizes the lines from "Sweet Smell of Success," cracks me up every time he interrupts a conversation.I'm not sure if women will enjoy this film as much as men. The themes seem very masculine; they reflect the subtleties of my interactions with my male friends. I'd be interested to hear if women feel like they really connect with certain aspects of the movie.One might say Diner is misogynistic.I say, "Feh!"One could argue that the pacing is slow at the beginning, but personally, I won't do so.The only criticism I can muster is about the moment of most tension, the pinnacle of the film's conflict. It gets resolved in such a quick fashion it might make your head tilt.Otherwise, this is a spectacular film.As always, don't expect too much, and you'll be oh-so-sweetly rewarded.

PWNYCNY This movie provides a glimpse into the difference between true friendship and mutual association. in this movie all the principle know each other, talk with each other, even spend a lot of time with each other, but they are not friends. That is, although there is an appearance of camaraderie, they really don't care about each other. Although the movie lacks a conventional plot, it still tells a story about people who play off each other with dramatic results. Unlike, let's say, the principle group of friends in Deer Hunter, in which the group is held tightly together by bonds of religion ethnicity and cultural heritage, the glue holding together the group in diner is much weaker and less definable, and may not even exist. All they do is talk, laugh, and complain, and it does not take much to split the group apart. Perhaps the point of the movie is to dramatize the tenuousness of relationships and not to bank on seeking support from those you hang out with because they may not be there for you. Now, the cast is universally excellent with Mickey Rourke delivering the strongest performance. His character is the one that comes closest to being a real friend, yet even he is involved with stuff that sets him apart form the others. Ellen Barkin also gives a strong performance as the woman who is a symbol of everything the guys talk about regarding women. This is a good movie that provides dramatic treatment of group dynamics in a fluid social context.

Lee Eisenberg One might at first compare Barry Levinson's "Diner" to "American Graffiti" and "Animal House", but that doesn't do it justice. The previous two were more about partying and the nostalgia factor, while this one is much more serious. The focus is on the relationship between this group of men in 1959 Baltimore, and the paths that their lives are taking. Each of them has his flaws, but is well-meaning. In fact, they all seem like losers, but they're all supportive of each other.This was definitely a splendid directorial debut for Levinson. It's the perfect blend of drama with only the slightest hint of nostalgia. Like the other two movies, it has a great soundtrack, but that never distracts from the plot. If anything, it's there to remind us that these men are about to enter a new world, both with their transition to adulthood and with the coming of the '60s.All in all, a very fine effort. Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly, Ellen Barkin and Paul Reiser have every reason to be proud of this.

Gavin Cresswell (gavin-thelordofthefu-48-460297) Sometimes adult films can be very entertaining with stronger premises, neat acting, and laugh-out-loud comedy which is why we get Barry Levinson's Diner.It revolves around Christmas time in 1959 where 5 boys spend their time at the diner. When the gang realizes that they have to spend a few days without the comfort of their favorite restaurant, they try to settle their lives by showing their responsibilities while sharing their details.Thinking about this movie makes me want to watch it again to keep on making me laugh my butt off. I mean, it is that good there's absolutely nothing negative to say about it.The premise about spending their lives explaining their details without the diner was very interesting. The acting was pure masterpiece. Every actor you see, Steve Guttenberg from the Police Academy series, Daniel Stern from Home Alones 1 and 2, Mickey Rourke from Iron Man 2, Kevin Bacon from Apollo 13, Balto, Mystic River, you name it.The comedy was pure genius. The jokes that I like the best were Fenwick pretending to be dead from his car accident and the part where Fenwick gets drunk while goofing off near a church.The soundtrack was great and the 1959 period setting was very creative. Diner is one of the greatest films ever made from the early 80s that defines the 50s and it is in my list.5 out of 5