The film was initially a play that has been adapted to the screen that focuses on four people at dinner.  When the final person arrives the group amuses themselves by joking about their waitress who has forgotten to provide them with menus.  While they wait they begin to break the ice with innocent stories about themselves.  However, as the waitress has corrected her error and has provided them with plenty of wine the truth begins to seep out.  The discussion between the different people travels between ghosts, religion, philosophy, psychology, and infidelity, which finally seems to converge on sex.  Their different idiosyncrasies become open topics as a teacher would teach basic addition, which leads the audience to some insightful notions that should be pondered.

The dinner ultimately turns to an end, and pleasantly so, as the film offers a truly genuine cinematic experience with humor, drama, and tragedy.  The film is full of flashbacks as the four different narrators take turns telling their stories.  This brings the story alive as it drifts back and forth between past and present while leaving a visual imprint of recollected memories.  In all honesty, the film encourages the audience to sit down for dinner with a group of friends while letting the conversation adrift.

DIRECTED BY

Bob Odenkirk

COUNTRY

USA

Filmography links and data courtesy of