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A extended conversation between two old friends over dinner proves an unexpectedly fascinating subject for a film in the critically acclaimed My Dinner with André. The talkers in question are André Gregory, a renowned experimental theater director, and playwright and actor Wallace Shawn, both of whom play themselves. The film is not a documentary, but a condensation of several real discussions fashioned into a dramatic exchange by Shawn and director Louis Malle. The subtle conflict stems from the differences in the men's characters: Gregory is an inquisitive, uninhibited wanderer, willing to travel to remote lands to take part in unusual foreign rituals, while Shawn is the cynical, realistic New Yorker, more concerned with the challenges and rewards of day-to-day city life. Malle approaches their philosophical yet playful back-and-forth with a straightforward, minimal style that only rarely wanders outside its restaurant setting. The focus therefore falls on Shawn's and Gregory's contrasting verbal styles and facial expressions, highlighting conversational nuances normally lost on film. While the idea of watching any conversation for over 90 minutes, no matter how fascinating, may turn off some viewers, enough audiences have supported the film to make it an art-house classic.
CONDITION: NEW
Actors: Wallace Shawn, André Gregory
Directors: Louis Malle
Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Region: Region A/1
Number of discs: 1
Rated:
PG
Parental Guidance Suggested
Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)
DVD Release Date: June 16, 2015
Run Time: 111 minutes
Cast & Crew
Wallace Shawn Himself
Andre Gregory Himself
Roy Butler Bartender
Jean Lenauer Waiter
Technical Credits
Louis Malle Director
Suzanne Baron Editor
George W. George Producer
Andre Gregory Screenwriter
Lloyd Kaufman Production Manager
Jean-Claude Laureux Sound/Sound Designer
Stephen McCabe Production Designer
David Mitchell Production Designer
Wallace Shawn Screenwriter
Jeri Sopanen Cinematographer
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