#dinner in america review

[bi-bard-reviews]

Movie Review - Dinner in America [2020]

Dinner in America is a film written and directed by Adam Rehmeier. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020 but wouldn't reach U.S. theaters until 2022. I am only putting 2020 as the release year because that is what IMDb says.

I had been recommended this movie over and over again. Sometimes directly through friends and other times indirectly through harassment via my TikTok fyp. My initial impression of this movie had me convinced that it would be right up my alley. There were so many elements that I had been told about that seemed perfect. To put it simply: I really wanted to fall in love with this movie.

There were some elements that were really great to me.

I loved the music. Both the soundtrack and the actual diegetic music from PSYOPS and Patty's song toward the end of the film. It really helped in building the scene and the world of the film.

The characters of Simon and Patty were both well-developed. It felt like I could consistently tell who they were as people and what they wanted. However, it didn't seem like any other character got that kind of treatment. I understand that Simon and Patty are the main characters in the story, but they are around the other characters too much for those characters to survive being underdeveloped.

I enjoyed most of the dinner scenes. I found them to be very interesting ways to see how Patty and Simon interact with the world around them and how the "normal" world views the two of them. I did have a few times where I thought they dragged on a little longer than necessary, considering that there were stronger scenes that could accomplish the same thing.

My favorite scenes tended to be the scenes where only Simon and Patty were there. Gallner & Skeggs have a lot of chemistry that comes out very naturally in these scenes. My favorite parts of the film were toward the end where we more consistently saw just the two of them together. The romance and affection between them are almost pure. I really enjoyed watching it. I could've watched the third act of this movie on its own and been significantly happier.

However, the writing leans on that chemistry almost entirely. In scenes where only one of the two was there or simply when they were around other characters, it seemed like it was a 50/50 chance for the scene to fall on its face. It was disappointing because of how strong the scenes were when it was just Simon and Patty on their own.

Some of the scenes seemed to be put in just to gross out the viewers. These scenes could have had a place and fit just fine if they had any purpose within the story or just for the characters. However, these scenes didn't feel strong enough to do that and just left me with a sour taste in my mouth.

Also, the use of slurs in this movie was out of hand at best. They didn't accomplish what I think they were trying to. They were just kind of obnoxious. For those who are looking into watching this movie, there's a warning for you.

Overall, this movie had really strong building blocks. The leads had amazing chemistry and the scenes between just the two of them were standouts for the film. I don't see myself rewatching this though. It was a shame that this movie couldn't live up to the hype that had been built around it for me. Still, maybe there's a different target audience that will find this movie and love it.

[meramyst18]

Ok, so I gotta talk about this movie bc what in the actual fuck. It's one of the best, most beautiful and funny movies I've ever seen in a while. Patty is such a cute and honest character, it's perfect; when people write characters like that, they normally end up doing the idealized manic pixie dream girl that's sexy but "a little crazy", but Patty is different, they show you how everybody treats her like she's dumb and uncapable of doing things, how even her own family underestimate her just because the way she sees the world is different.

It really hit me bc as a girl that grew up being "the slow girl" "the dumb girl", and how even my own teachers and other students used to treat me in a very mean way just bc I couldn't be like the rest, and how fucked up is growing up thinking that you're not smart, that you're untalented and unnatractive. It's really painful, and even though Simon can be problematic sometimes, is the only person that understands Patty, and treats her like a human being; the way he stands up for her, how angry he gets when Patty gets bullied or mistreated is very reassuring, and it makes you think that after all, you're not unlovable for being different.

There's a part of the movie that really made me cry and is when Simon and Patty leave Simon's family and while he's driving Patty asks him: ''you think I'm a retarded?'', and he immediately pulls up and tells her that he doesn't wanna hear her say that ever again, and that she's a total rockstar, while she's crying because she had never heard those words, bc everything she has heard is "you're slow, you're dumb, you're useless". After that Patty just gets more and more confident until she can finally stand up for herself bc now she knows her own value.

At the end of the movie they show Patty being a confident, beautiful shining girl bc she just accepted herself and loves herself enough to not let other people treat her bad.

For me the message is so beautiful, for me the whole movie means: you don't have to change to be loved, and you don't have to force other people to change, but you have to love them for their differences and you'll see how much they shine for that.

Anyway, now I can say that Dinner In America is one of my favorite movies with a sick soundtrack. I love everything about it.

[hogzzlactosing]

Dinner in America micro analysis

maybe i’ll do another one later because there’s a lot to this film

I watched Dinner in America, and a lot of people seem confused about the "uncalled for" racism in the movie’s opening scene. However, I think some are missing the point. Every single character in the film is a caricature. We focus so much on how weird the main characters are that we forget to analyze the behavior of the background characters and see the bigger picture.

The film satirizes the American Dream and people trapping themselves in a system. All the families depicted are different stereotypes of white middle-class American families from the 1960s and 70s. The first family, for example, is a joke about the stereotype of a racist, football-loving dad, a clueless jock son, and a mother who stirs up drama to distract herself from her shallow and boring life.

To understand this, we need to reconstruct the idea of the American Dream as the film portrays it—a Christian family that’s strict, “normal,” and ironically, only "normal" from the perspective of the American Dream. The film reveals how absurdly flawed this "normal" is. Even the bullies fit this stereotype, perfectly embodying a version of small-town American life that feels trapped in caricature. Most of the characters are so isolated within the confines of this "American Dream" that they don’t know anything beyond what they’ve been spoon-fed about being "good Americans" (like when Patty’s mom asks her dad if he knows what a rave is).

Naturally, within this limited worldview, their behavior is racist, ableist, close-minded, and fearful of anything new. The movie mocks this system, the propaganda that forces people into a box, living a false dream of being “normal.” The main characters are the opposite of that. One actively rejects being liked by people stuck in the system, while the other physically can’t fit in, even if she wants to.

The whole meaning of the movie is captured in its soundtrack, “fuck everybody else but us.” If you live for others, afraid of being judged, you’ll end up living a boring, joyless life, where you’ll only have time to judge others.

Overall, I LOVED the movie. I think it was more of a statement in itself, though the filmmaking lacks some details that could have been added, like working more on storytelling through objects and other subtle elements. However, it delivers well enough when it needs to.

[moonvxv]

i love their dynamic so much it’s my teenage dream

[myshittymovieopinions]

-dinner in america

CONS: -I think that the use of the n-slur wasn't really necessary??

-Simon saying the f-slur was weird, it goes against punk ideologies, calling her mother a lesbian was also super uncalled for?

-There were times where the dialogue was a bit cringe and very stereotypically edgy.

-The family not batting an eye on Simon got Kevin hooked on pot was kinda strange but that wasn't a really big deal in my problems with it.

OPINIONS ON OTHERS REVIEWS: -I don't really understand why people think that this will be a 100% real, non-stereotype view of punk when it's supposed to be a palatable love story with the very popular 'weird girl, tough guy' trope. In my opinion, there won't be a fully accurate punk-based film when it's made by mainstream companies, it has to be made by people in the community. (I saw someone call Simon the main love interest a nazi in their review??? I could be missing something but out of the two times i've seen this film there has never been any sign that he was?????)

-as someone w autism i didn't see the use of the r-word offensive unless it was obviously aimed to be like when the bullies would say it to her. Autistic people I know get called that by their own friends so it definitely isn't unrealistic or a term that people don't use anymore.

WHY I LOVED IT: -I thought the connection the two had was cute and served to show that even if others think you aren't worth anything, someone out there will.

-From what i've seen and heard in my local scene, I think Simon's band members ratting him out and going against the punk sort of moral code yet still calling themselves punk was pretty real. I know a bunch of people who really suck and are genuine bad people but still listen to the music of the subculture and dress as such despite their own actions contradicting the whole political view.

-I could be totally wrong so forgive me if i am but i think 'My Kind of Women' by Mac Demarco was the only song in it that wasn't written for the film. It being paired with the arcade sequence really made the movie more romantic and we could see the connection grow between the two just from shots of them playing games and the look in their eyes.

OVERALL: I think that it was a cute movie that had a lot of ups, it has the potential to be a popular teen movie where obvious weird shit goes down (dead cat on bullies lol) yet people still love it, but the amount of slurs used were unnecessary.

[valend]

going through Kyle Gallner’s filmography I see 👀

dude….. his vibes are simultaneously rancid and sooo idk alluring

[clapfilmdavis]

WEEKLY RECAP !!

(for the last three weeks…)

THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ::

Jennifer’s Body (2009) No Exit (2022) Luck (2022) The Hunger Games (2012) Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012) Get Out (2017) Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) Smile 2 (2024) V/H/S (2012) Come Play (2020) Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015) Dinner in America (2020) x2 But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) Pearl (2022) Juno (2007) Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) V/H/S/2 (2013)

EXTRA WARNINGS ::

lightly gore-y descriptions

JENNIFER’S BODY

watched 1/2/25 4/5 STARS ! there’s so much happening constantly and im lowkey so sad colin died :( i want chip so bad and also needy’s so pretty :3c the concept is actually super cool but i wish needy used her brain sometimes like girl please…

NO EXIT

watched 1/3/25 5/5 STARS ! PLOT TWIST AFTER PLOT TWIST AFTER PLOT TWIST WHAT IN THE WORLD

LUCK

watched 1/5/25 3.5/5 STARS ! everytime sam sings it sucks so bad im sorry 😭 hazel is super cute though. the human animation looks weird to me sometimes, but at the same time it’s pretty cute AND THE CAT ANIMATIONS ARE SO ADORABLE :((( i love bob’s behavior so much he’s so silliness :3 got a huge attitude for a little guy the pig animations remind me a LOT of sing and i cant tell if i love or hate it. the concept overall is pretty interesting, the way they incorporated bad luck was kind of cool - the plot twist with bob was very intriguing to me, i love the idea of the “good luck” character helping the entire time having no good luck at all.

THE HUNGER GAMES

rewatched in december - reviewed on 1/8/24 5/5 STARS ! one of my favorites from the batch, i ADORE the way they do the audio in this movie especially the scene when katniss gets into the cornucopia AUAGGGHHH <333 the tracker jacker scene is also super interesting to me but the part where her mom is talking but it’s peeta’s voice makes me giggle a lot

JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND

rewatched 1/9/25 5/5 STARS ! the movie is so stupidly endearing. sean gives me heavy second-hand embarrassment sometimes but the motorcycle scene is so sick 🙏 the way they portrayed the island was so pretty and in my opinion the animal animations were pretty good. gabato is so stupid i love him. i liked watching the bond between sean and hank develop, aswell as hank and gabato (theyre so dumb i love them) also the beef between hank and alexander makes me giggle so bad. if i had a penny for how many times dwayne “the rock” johnson jiggled his boobs and saved an island through a storm i’d have two pennies. why does he keep doing this.

GET OUT

watched 1/9/25 5/5 STARS ! this movie is so interesting wtf. i think this is the first time ive seen the main character in a horror movie be ACTUALLY realistic. also i love rod so much…. he’s so silly the scene where rod’s on the phone with rose - her actor was SO good at sounding emotional without looking it. i genuinely dont know what else to say about this movie aside from just. wow.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX

watched 1/10/25 5/5 STARS ! auagaghh ash fox you are so me :((((……. i dont even know how to describe the movie itself but the art-style is my favorite thing ever (the running looks so goofy i love it)

SMILE 2

watched 1/11/25 4.5/5 STARS ! in the horror aspect, not the best. it was more bloody than scary, however it was still a very good movie. i loved gemma’s character (even if it wasnt actually her), she ate so hard. i liked joshua a lot aswell. i honestly really liked the way they made skye handle the “infection”(?), because yes it wasnt productive in the sense of solving the problem but it felt more realistic. i honestly ADORED the ending. i love when horror movies end with a death instead of solving the issues or being a “tune in next time”. also the monster? AUAAGGHH it looked kind of stupid but the CONCEPT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!!!!

V/H/S

watched 1/11/25 3.5/5 STARS ! at the beginning i wasnt a huge fan (the scene where the guy’s dick got ripped off made me giggle so bad im sorry) but like as the movie went on i ended up getting super invested… i honestly wish more movies were filmed like this because it’s super cool to me… sometimes lesser quality just makes things look cooler. at first i wasnt a fan because there was so much going on back to back but like i ended up really preferring that. like you basically knew (almost) everyone was going to die but it was still interesting. i dunno i guess this movie just kinda grew on me throughout watching it :3

COME PLAY

watched 1/11/25 4.5/5 STARS ! the concept of larry is so fucking cool what ???? the scene where he’s crawling out of the electronics HEELLLLOOOO SAILOR 🤤🤤🤤 oliver is one of the few autistic representations ive seen that isnt so intensely stereotyped and babied, at least in my opinion. i love watching the friendship between oliver and byron grow :(( the sillies :::((((((( the scene at the end was so cute…… this movie is so awesome

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP

watched 1/13/25 4.5/5 STARS ! i dont trust anyone who doesnt like alvin and the chipmunks

DINNER IN AMERICA

watched 1/13/25 5/5 STARS ! i really like the way they did the intro credits, the music was so banger ^_^ also patty is so pretty and me coded…. there’s so much going on in the first few minutes but i got to see the kittens :3 simon is actually so hot im sorry - he’s such an asshole and lies all the time and i NEED HIM. HIS SMILE IS SO CUTE IM LITERALLY IN LOVE. i actually love this story so bad i got so invested. get that boy outta jail he need to see his music girlfriend 🩷🩷

BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER

watched 1/14/25 4.5/5 STARS ! IM SORRY THE “STRAIGHT IS GREAT” SHIRT IS SO FUNNY IVE BEEN GIGGLING FOR LIKE TEN MINUTES 😭 SHUT UP MEGAN AND GRAHAM ARE SO CUTE IM GONNA CRY :(((( WHEN THEY WENT TO THE CLUB TOGETHER AND AJAAHWHEHDHDDJD I LOVE THEM THE SILLIES

PEARL

watched 1/14/25 3.5/5 STARS ! i dont quite know how to describe this movie, it was very good dont get me wrong but i dont know if i’d watch it again. i love the way pearl’s actor does the screaming rage like AUAGAGAGHH I LVOE IT!!!!! i think i just had high expectations for this movie based on what ive seen, it’s an amazing movie just not personally my type of movie ^_^

DINNER IN AMERICA

rewatched 1/18/25 5/5 STARS ! MY WIIFIEEEEEE I LOVE YOU SIMON COME HOME THE KIDS MISS YOU

JUNO

watched 1/18/25 4.5/5 STARS ! SHUT. UP. THIS MOVIE IS THE CUTEST EVER JUNO ILY. mark gave me weird feelings ,, esp in the dance scene like erm……. ANYWAYS PAULIE ILY YOURE ME YOU ARE ME PAULIE. “he’s the cheese to my macaroni” SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP :(((( also the fact juno still gave vanessa the baby at the end :< ily juno

MUFASA: THE LION KING

watched 1/20/25 4/5 STARS ! i loved the animation (or cgi?? i dunno the proper term for this) they did for this movie! i wish keith david got more screen time i love him </33 also every-time beyonce spoke i giggled because i keep forgetting she’s an actor,, other than that this movie was pretty good ^_^ i dont have much to say about it but i wasnt a huge fan of the songs - though the “bye bye” one was fun :3 i like that they incorporated taka’s scar by him saving mufasa one last time!!

V/H/S/2

watched 1/21/25 4/5 STARS ! AAAAHHHHHHHH WHY DID THE DEMON CRAWL OUT OF HER STOMACH WHAT IS GOING ONNNNN 😭😭😭😭😭 i think tape three is the more gore-y between v/h/s 1 and 2 like oh my god but the alien scenes are actually so sick ALSO HOW DID WE GO FROM GHOSTS, TO ZOMBIES, TO CULTS/DEMONS, TO ALIENS????? IN ONE MOVIE??????? NOOOOOOOOO THE PUPPPYYYYYY ::::((((( THE ENDING OH MY GOD??? I GENUINELY LOVE THESE MOVIES THEYRE GROWING ON ME SO MUCH

[kat-movies]

An on-the-lam punk rocker and a young woman obsessed with his band go on an unexpected and epic journey together through the decaying suburbs of the American Midwest.

‎‘Dinner in America’ review by Katelyn • Letterboxd

[knewknow]

I'm currently reading the Red Rising series for the first time, I also just watched Dinner in America last night for the first time.

In my brain, Sevro now just looks like Kyle Gallner, a blond John Q if you will.

I love Sevro

[harleyheartshoney]

BIG NEWS!!!

I watched Dinner in America last night with my mom, and ut has officially topped Little Miss Sunshine as my number one favorite movie of all time! I believe that everyone should watch this movie. It is so heartwarming, funny, and beautiful. It even inspired me to start listening to Riot Grrrl!

[jimsmovieworld]

DINNER IN AMERICA- 2020 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Simon (Kyle Gallner) is a punk rock singer/drug dealer on the run from the cops. He falls unexpectedly in love with his biggest fan (Emily Skeggs), although she doesnt know who he really is....

Quirky comedy. Theres a few gross bits i couldnt be bothered with. Too much dinner. But i persevered with this film and it ended up really liking it by the end. Strong performances from both leads. Good soundtrack, the watermelon song is great. Its nice when Simon and Patty hit it off and the movie had a feel good ending.

Directed by Adam Rehmeier.

[bassgif]

DINNER IN AMERICA (2020)

x x x / x x x / x x x

[strongbookthoughts]

Notes on The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen

As usual, America's Test Kitchen hits a lot of what I want in a cookbook. As a note, I'm not a vegetarian. That means I'm looking for dishes that celebrate veggies, not ones that are constantly telling me how similar they are to the meat versions.

So one of my fave things that ATK does is assume that you don't really know what you're doing. Which means they have a detailed section on how to handle and prep the different veggies. This is GREAT! I can't tell y'all how many times I've been in a farmer's market staring at something cool with no idea how to get to the food of it.

About every third recipe has a picture of the finished dish. Things that are fussy also have a few extra pictures showing something about the fussy step. There are some very global flavors going on here, with extra side bars about ingredients for those who are unfamiliar.

A decent number of the recipes have notes about small changes you can make to them to switch up the flavor profiles.

The cookbook writers totally ignored the potential cost of ingredients in how they wrote this. That's pretty valid since veggie prices can be very regional and seasonal. If, like me, you're looking at some vegetarian cooking as a cost saving measure, you're going to have to do some price research at your local market. Some kinds of nuts can easily cost as much or more than meat. Cheese prices vary wildly. Even egg prices can get a bit unpredictable these days. So I like knowing that I can go to the store to look for deals on a wider variety of things.

As a downside, the book is pretty hefty, and the binding doesn't feel the most secure. I mean, it's survived a few years in the library system so far, but I'm not sure how many years it's got left in it. If you're using the book in your kitchen and constantly mashing it open... maybe look for a hard back version?

[juliewsz]

I watched this film yesterday and love it.

can someone recommend more movies similar to this one?

dinner in america — (2020)

[scotianostra]

Happy Birthday Sam Roland Heughan, born 30th April 1980 in Balmaclellan, Dumfries and Galloway.

Sam got his name from the Lord of the Rings character Samwise Gamgee. his parents were big fans of the Tolkien books. He attended Kells Primary School in New Galloway before the family moved to Edinburgh when he was 12, he went to James Gillespie’s on the edge of the meadows before finishing his school education at the prestigious Rudolph Steiner School.

After leaving School at 18 Sam worked and travelled before returning to Scotland and enrolling in the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, graduating in 2003.

Sam built a solid career in theatre in both Scotland and England starring in productions of Plague Over England, Macbeth, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Amphibians, and King John. He has also been featured in notable indie films, Emulsion, and Heart Of Lightness but of course it is one particular role that has catapulted him into worldwide stardom, that of Jamie Fraser in Outlander.

For those who don’t know Outlander it follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who finds herself hurled back in time to the 1740’s in and around the time when The Jacobites and Bonnie Prince Charlie made the final ill fated attempt to put the Stuarts back on the throne. Sam plays Claire’s “love interest” she is forced to marry. Further series are set in the US in the 1770’s, their remains a strong Scottish presence in the cast, and the show is filmed in studios in Cumbernauld. Sam has won a number of awards for the series.

In the movie To Olivia he played Hollywood star Paul Newman and in the adaptation of the Andy McNab book, SAS: Red Notice, he played SAS soldier Tom Buckingham. Oor birthdat boy also teamed up with fellow Outlander star Graham McTavish Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham. The series follows the pair as they explore their homeland delving into the culture and history of Scotland, in a light-hearted way. The second series of the show aired last year, the reviews were mainly positive. The duo are already looking at a third journey, this time to North America but that will likely involve indulging Heughan's thrill-seeking side - much to his friend's dismay

Sam also appeared in the psychological series The Couple Next Door last year, I am yet to catch this, it has average reviews on IMDB of 5.6 out of ten. Born to be Great the story of Alexander The Great's early life has been completed but is yet to recieve a release date.

According to reports Sam celebrated his birthday in Edinburgh at the weekend while also running his My Peak Challenge which included workouts, outdoor activities and a gala night with dinner and dancing. He posted on Instagram describing the event as a 'unique blend of wellness, camaraderie, celebration and more'. The peakers, as they are known has raised millions for charities including Marie Curie.

[scary-pixie]

November 1st = New Tina Year! (secret diary entry and upcoming goals)

I'm mainly writing this down so I don't slack off! Cause if I slack off I can look back on this and think, "wow, you failed terribly. dingus."

Ahem.

Anyways, I am in the process of thinking up some new short term goals now that:

2024 con season is over (with the exception of some smaller events)

Spooky Season is almost over (I like posting non-stop spooky stuff during this delightful time)

Twitter is going inside the toilet

Magazine troubles (more on this below)

I have met the famous man whose inspiration played a big role in both: a) getting back into drawing my old OCs after 15+ years (little round glasses are a bad influence), and b) getting brave enough to be on video after saying I would never do this for god knows how long. (secret: I watched a certain music video with one of his characters the morning before I made my own). BUT HE WILL NEVER KNOW ABOUT THIS AND I WILL NEVER TELL! I AM FULL OF CRINGE!!!

This is what I'm thinking at the moment, in terms of my next creative direction. I appreciate any thoughts or advice!!:

My OC art was an absolute flop in terms of gaining new social media followers. Bluesky seems to be a LITTLE bit better, but it's still early to tell and I haven't posted too many of my OCs there yet either. For the time being, though, I plan to get back to my Schoolism subscription assignments since I've been neglecting them for a bit!

good lord I need to flatten my stomach somehow, as I cannot fit into my preferred fashion choices. I quit watching TV for a while in the summer, which helped a bit (I tend to eat everything in the house while I watch), so I may try this again soon.

arm workouts are going alright I guess, I am gaining a bit of muscle in my armes so they do not look so much like noodles.

Tempted to get back into posting video game screenshots and mini-reviews on social media since people really liked this stuff, but I'm worried it might just add more to my plate.

I'm really enjoying doing videos now, I'm just not sure which direction to take them (or if I even should take them places). I tend to film a lot of myself and a long-time friend in the car just saying stupid shit, but I don't really want to post all of these.

I wish to read more books without falling asleep, jesus christ this is tough.

On a similar note: the magazine I used to write book and comic reviews for has SHUT DOWN GOD DAMN IT so maybe I'll write some new stuff here?? Not sure yet!

I need to get back to my Japanese studies!! I used to do them at lunch and dinner but now I get distracted by all the awful political shit online! Aaaaaaaa!! I really hope America doesn't combust in the next few days but I guess we'll find out soon...

Finally, I need to be more active HERE! It's the best place for longform writing and art that might be a bit too "cringe" for the general public. Let's see if I can stick to it!!

I think that's all I have to SAY for NOW. Wish me luck in sticking to my goals instead of spiralling into ADHD Twitter nonsense, aaaaaaaaaaaa!!

Tagging a couple frands: @prometheus-ghost @fadingdreamerdream @thewebspinner @autolykiss @draganwhorror

Also anyone who actually wants to watch my shitty ass videos, the link is below. I have a bunch more but haven't posted them! https://www.instagram.com/kittensoft39/reels/