| Diner | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 44 reviews)
Sales Rank: 8259
Category: DVD
Actors: Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly
Director: Barry Levinson
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Studio: Warner Home Video
Brand: Warner Brothers
Label: Warner Home Video
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 110 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
DVD Layers: 2
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Letterbox
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.7
MPN: WARD65077D
ISBN: 0790744554
UPC: 012569507722
EAN: 9780790744551
ASIN: B00004RE27
Release Date: April 4, 1999
Theatrical Release Date: March 5, 1982
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Description
The film that launched successful careers for Kevin Bacon, Ellen Barkin, Paul Reiser, Mickey Rourke and more! It's a lively, poignant tale of friends trying to recapture their lost innocence in 1959 Baltimore.
Amazon.com essential video
Barry Levinson's debut film as a writer-director nearly got lost in the shuffle before New York critics rescued it from oblivion. Set in his native Baltimore in 1959, it focuses on a group of pals coping with life post high school. Each of them has problems with women, it seems, whether it's Steve Guttenberg (as a guy about to get married who forces his fiancee to pass a test about the Baltimore Colts), Mickey Rourke (as the womanizing hairdresser with a gambling problem), or Daniel Stern (as the married one who makes his wife miserable with his carefully cataloged record collection). The only time these guys seem like they have it together is when they gather at the diner to sling the bull. The cast includes Ellen Barkin, Timothy Daly, Paul Reiser, and Kevin Bacon--each in a breakthrough role. --Marshall Fine
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| Customer Reviews: Read 39 more reviews...
 "There's not that much of a story, really. What do we do? We drive around..." Kevin Bacon September 18, 2008
Diner, Barry Levinson's writing and directing debut belongs to so-called "small" or "minor" movies and it indeed does not have spectacular locations, breathtaking action sequences or even dramatic story. As Kevin Bacon comments in the Behind the Scenes Documentary, "There's not that much of a story, really. What do we do? We drive around..." What the movie has is "a very honest portrayal of a group...of guys that people relate to on a very personal level." The different generations of viewers react to film with devotion and recognition, and Diner has become one of the beloved long time cult favorites. Based on its writer/director's memories of growing up in Baltimore, the film takes place during the week between Christmas and New Year in 1959, and tells of the friendship of five guys in their early twenties. During the course of the film, we will get to know the young men, their fears of growing up, facing responsibilities, and making decisions, their fascination and insecurities with the girls.
From his Oscar-nominated script, BL makes the study of young men who hesitate to grow up but rather hang out in their beloved Diner. Daniel Stern's 'Shrevie' is an owner of LP collection that he seems to value more than his young and pretty wife (Ellen Barkin in her film debut). Mickey Rourke, played his best role (at least, IMO) as Boogy, the cynical womanizer with the most charming smile. Steve Guttenberg's Eddie puts his fiancee through the enormously difficult football quiz and the passing score is the must for the marriage because he is scared to get married. Kevin Bacon plays Fenwick, a permanently drunk and lost kid, the character much darker than the rest of the guys. Timothy Daly is Bill who seems to be the most successful of the bunch, and know what he wants but can't make the girl he loves to love him. By making Diner, Levinson actually put his native city, sleepy and provincial 1959 Baltimore, on the cinema map, and that's just one of movie's pleasures. And there are plenty. Diner is filled with authentic and believable scenes, situations, and conversations that everyone can relate to. The Diner's menu has a lot to offer to the grateful viewers and fans of the insightful, ironic, entertaining, small but bright and shiny gem. Barry Levinson does not flatter six protagonists but he understands them and loves them because he sees in them the indelible part of his own life, his experiences, and his own childhood friends. As another great film about childhood friendship says, "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"
Barry Levinson went on to create many good and very good films after Diner. These are just a few: The Natural, Good Morning, Vietnam; Bugsy; Avalon; Sleepers, An Everlasting Piece, Disclosure, Wag the Dog, and his Oscar winner "Rain Man" but Diner will always have a very special place for me. This is the film I keep coming back to again and again, and as the time passes it only gets better.
A guy film girls will love too February 29, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a film about a bunch of guys on the threshold of adulthood, set in 1950's Baltimore. I'm not a guy, have never been to Baltimore and don't have much in common with any of them. But I loved the film! As Barry Levinson, the director, says in the added feature, when you are really specific to time, place and character, the appeal is universal. He did a great job in making this film and one can feel the affection he has for the town and that time in his life.
Each fellow has some serious life problem to confront, many of which involve relationships with women. It's not just a fluff, teen age movie--the situations are genuine and have consequences. But the good nature of the guys--maybe the fact that they are still at the age where life can be a blast--makes the film really funny.
It was fun for me to see the cast--many of whom are now very well known, when they were young and starting out. Kevin Bacon's performance was a real surprise--I thought he was terrific as a rather complex, self destructive guy. Micky Rourke started out as someone rather loathesome but he turned out to be a heart-warmer. His hairdo is worth the price of the DVD. Timothy Daly, really good looking, is the token sensitive guy. Ellen Barkin does a lovely job as the lone female in the group. Steve Guttenberg is the spoiled kid you want to swat but has something lovable about him too. Paul Reiser is always the smart talking funny guy.
I suppose I could take offense at the way they "objectify" women...but it's all done with so much warmth and humor that it was easy to just sit back and laugh. The film reminded me some of American Graffiti but I liked this much better.
Diner July 6, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Levinson's vivid, heartfelt ensemble comedy provided an outstanding showcase for up-and-comers Rourke, Stern, Guttenberg, Barkin, and Bacon. The script is funny and knowing, and the natural, often overlapping flow of dialogue gives off the authentic feel of improvisation. Levinson recreates the city of his youth with loving detail. A rich human comedy with a big heart.
Theatrical History in the making! November 27, 2006
I saw this many years ago and was happy to finaly find it on DVD. This is a who's who of film history. What a cast of hopeful and promising talent. I Loved the guy perspective, something you didn't see much of back then. Mickey Rourke was looking good!
Finer July 23, 2006
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
Set in 1959 Baltimore, this is a tale of 6 college age friends. As the title says, it is at their favorite diner that a lot of the action takes place. It is also the one place where they can all get together at once. This is most certainly a character study, with a fine job by a talently cast of young actors(who are all older veterans now) Some of it is a little stale, but overall it is a fine movie about facing life.
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