Review of Melvin Goes to Dinner (2003) by Zack H — 30 Mar 2008

"Melvin Goes to Dinner" is a movie directed by Bob Odenkirk (Mr. Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry Sanders Show) and based on the play Phyro-Giants. It centers on a dinner meeting between 4 quasi-strangers whose conversations shed light on the mysterious connections between then.

These 4 people--2 guys and 2 girls--excel in the art of conversation. You'll be pulled into their discussions on such topics as threesomes, infidelity, anal sex, ghosts, and god. All frankly admit to the varying degrees of dysfunction that characterize their relationships, but they retain some hope: I think they are partly inspired by the stimulation and camaraderie that results from their chance meeting. Moreover, each person valiantly struggles to find his or her way romantically, refusing to be confined by any common notion of what constitutes a "normal" love affair. After all, it's possible to see both dysfunction and joy in just about any relationship.

The film features cameos by Jack Black, David Cross, and Maura Tierney. Black and Cross offer absurd comic relief, respectively, as a disturbed mental patient complaining that "God knocked me off my pterodactyl" and a self-help guru asserting that "Successful people need my course the most.".

And although a movie made up mostly of conversations might seem boring, there are twists aplenty. One revelation leads to another, which leads to another, finally revealing the clandestine connections that have brought the 4 together in the first place. I really enjoyed this film, and I would recommend that you check out "Melvin Goes to Dinner" if you're a fan of other dialogue-driven fare, such as movies directed by Richard Linklater or Neil LaBute.