‘The Dinner’ serves up searing family drama
It’s a formidable quartet that gathers without much appetite in “The Dinner.”
Richard Gere’s Stan Lohman is the suave politico who has called for a family gathering in an unnamed city’s ultrafashionable place to see and be seen.
Stan is so plugged into his imminent race for the governorship that he’s never without his shadow, a nearly silent but never distant assistant (Adepero Oduye).
There’s Katelyn (Rebecca Hall), Stan’s much younger (second) wife, as well his mordantly funny, seriously disturbed brother, Paul (Steve Coogan), and his wife, Claire (Laura Linney).
Why they’ve been summoned is the teaser. “The Dinner” is adapted by director Oren Moverman (“The Messenger” and Gere’s 2014 homeless drama, “Time Out of Mind”) from Dutch author Herman Koch’s 2009 bestselling novel.
First “Dinner” was a 2013 Dutch movie, then in 2014 came an Italian version. This English language adaptation had Cate Blanchett initially set as director with Moverman scripting.
When the Oscar-winning actress left, Moverman had two jobs.
He’s very good with his cast, which includes a brief appearance by Chloe Sevigny as Barbara, Stan’s discarded first wife.
The way that people are disposable becomes a key issue in a drama that begins with a veneer of civility and rapidly descends into accusations, recriminations, regrets and threats.
It’s Coogan’s Paul who bristles at being summoned for this meeting. Paul’s a failed history teacher who insists on saying exactly what he thinks, especially when it can offend, disturb or anger.
At home and in flashbacks we see how his wife caters to him and how his son, Michael (Charlie Plummer), 16, despises him.
Gradually we discover it’s Michael and his cousin, Stan’s 16-year-old son, who are the reason they’ve gathered and it’s here, amid the flashbacks, that Claire dominates the debate about what parents should do and what parents owe to their children. She’s scarily sensational as “The Dinner” serves its final dish.
(“The Dinner” has adult language and themes, as well as horrifying violence.)