Dinner Movies

Let it be known that "My Dinner With Andre" is impossible to find on the island of Manhattan.

And so, I found a little French film called "The Dinner Game," which (based on the title and short synopsis) I thought would be a suitable substitute. I soon found, however, that the movie is not about a dinner, but rather about what happens when a man who is planning to go to dinner ends up having to cancel, but does not have time to tell the stranger he invited. It is certainly the story of a different kind of 'blind date'.

Pierre Brochant (Thierry Lhermitte) is a bored, arrogant publishing executive who livens up his upper class existence by attending "idiot dinners" hosted by his friends. For these soirees, each attendee is required to bring along a guest who embodies some aspect of human stupidity. The oblivious idiots, not understanding that they are the butt of a private joke, are flattered, and their sponsors enjoy the competition of trying to outdo each other by bringing the dimmest bulb in the lot. Then, one day, Pierre meets François Pignon (Jacques Villeret), a tax official whose hobby is building models of famous landmarks with matchsticks In François, Pierre believes he has found the perfect idiot for the next dinner. Unfortunately, on the night of the event, Pierre throws out his back and is unable to attend. His newfound friend, however, insists on staying around to "help" him, resulting in a series of mini disasters that leave Pierre's comfortable life in ruins. Call it the idiot's revenge. -Review by James Berardinelli