Dinner with Friends (April 2/02)

Dinner with Friends is proof positive that sometimes an intelligent script, talented actors, and a skillful director are all that's required to create a compelling and engaging film.

Based on a play by Donald Margulies, Dinner with Friends follows two couples as they explore the treacherous landscape that is marriage, with one pair successful and the other not. Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell star as the successful and happily married couple, while Toni Collette and Greg Kinnear appear as an estranged couple that, as the title implies, are good friends with the Quaid and MacDowell characters. Through the space of close to two hours, we watch as the couples bicker amongst each other, but mostly just talk about what it means to be married and indeed, what it means to grow older.

Apart from a flashback sequence in the middle of the movie, Dinner with Friends relies entirely on the conversations of the quartet to propel the story forward. They talk - a lot - about varying things, ranging from their love of food to what they perceive to be the meaning of life. And unlike some movies adapted from plays, the dialogue here doesn't sound forced or stilted. These conversations seem genuine; the sort that good friends would have with one another (not to mention couples in the privacy of their bedrooms).

Despite the presence of noted energy-killer Andie MacDowell, the performances are all note-perfect. Even MacDowell herself manages to create a well-rounded character. But the real surprises here are Quaid and Kinnear. Quaid is just as charming as ever, playing this man who oftentimes must acquiesce to his wife's decisions. And Kinnear, saddled with the most complex role, peels back the layers of someone who initially comes off as a sleazy adulterer (we slowly find out there's much more to the story).

Dinner with Friends is by no means perfect - it goes on a touch too long and yes, it's quite talky - but in this era where dumb comedies and mindless action flicks rule, it does provide a refreshing change of pace.