The Dinner Game ***
rated PG-13 Lions Gate Films 78 minutes in French with English subtitles starring Jacques Villeret, Thierry Lhermitte, Francis Huster, Alexandra Vandernoot, Daniel Prevost, Catherine Frot written and directed by Francis Veber
The title of Francis Veber's "The Dinner Game" refers to a cruel game in which a group of men each have to invite an idiot to dinner and entertain themselves at the idiot's expense. Pierre(Thierry Lhermitte) has chosen to bring Francois(Jacques Villeret), because he, who spends his free time making models out of matches, is definitely an idiot. But as soon as Francois arrives at Pierre's home, Pierre's back condition worsens and he cannot leave his home. Francois decides to stay, and he turns Pierre's life upside down, forcing him to lose his wife, his mistress, his fortune and his mind. This throwback to the days of classic screwball comedy was written and directed by Francis Veber, who wrote "La Cage Aux Folles"; later remade into the inferior "The Birdcage". A U.S. remake is also on its way for "The Dinner Game", which is very funny itself. Although I am no fan of farce or slapstick comedy, the comic timing in "The Dinner Game" is too superb to be ignored. Entertaining but slight, "The Dinner Game" is a pleasant art-house diversion.
a capsule review by Akiva Gottlieb, The Teenage Movie Critic akiva@excite.com http://teenagemoviecritic.8m.com
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