DINNER RUSH

Year: 2000
USA: Access Motion Picture Group
UK: Pathe Distribution
Cast: Danny Aiello, Edoardo Ballerini, Vivian Wu, Mike McGlone, Kirk Acevedo, Sandra Bernhard, John Corbett, Jamie Harris, Summer Phoenix, Polly Draper, Mark Margolis, Frank Bongiorno, Sophie Comet, Alex Corrado, Tessa Ghylin, Andre Leon, Walt MacPherson, Ajay Naidu, Manny Perez, Andre Haynes Richarson, John Rothman, Lexie Sperduto, Marita Stavrou, Roma Torre
Director: Bob Giraldi
Country: USA
USA: 98 mins
USA Rated: R for language, some violence and sexuality
USA Release Date: 28 September 2001 (Limited Release - New York)
UK Release Date: 29 March 2002


Synopsis

Bob Giraldi, award-winning director of commercials and music videos (Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'), uses his own restaurant - Gigino's Trattoria - as the starting point for his debut feature, DINNER RUSH.

DINNER RUSH chronicles one eventful night at a trendy Italian restaurant in the TriBeCa area of New York City. Louis Cropa (Danny Aiello - City Hall, Moonstruck) is an ageing bookie and restaurateur who's bemoaning the transformation of Gigino's from a down-to-earth, 'mom-and-pop' Italian eatery to a pretentious, see-and-be-seen establishment where eating dinner has become as much of a spectacle as a Broadway show! Louis's talented son, Udo (Edoardo Ballerini - Romeo Must Die, 24), is an ambitious star chef who wants to take over the restaurant because he claims his food and his style are responsible for the recent success of the business. To make matters worse, a pair of thugs known as Black and Blue who murdered his partner and now want to take over his place confronts Louis.

On this particular night, a New York detective and his wife are ushered to their table as guests of Louis, renowned food critic Jennifer Freeley (Sandra Bernhard) sits in a corner, and we meet the mysterious Ken (John Corbett - Sex & the City, My Big Fat Greek Wedding) who sits lonely at the bar, passing the time over a drink with the bartender Sean (Jamie Harris). Summer Phoenix (The Believer) features as Marti, a sassy, smart-talking waitress who is more interested in the table of art critics than she lets on.

To add to the overlapping stories that highlight the cosmopolitan mix of people in NYC, the evening unfolds, and we meet Duncan (Kirk Acevedo), inveterate gambler and sous-chef in the frenetic kitchen downstairs, who acts as the catalyst that causes the evening to draw to its explosive, unexpected conclusion.

With the tagline for the movie 'revenge is a dish best served cold' anything can happen!

As an intriguing dessert, the DVD of Dinner Rush is served up with a 'Making of', 'The Famous New Yorker' featurette and more.

DVD EXTRAS

Feature running time: 94 minutes
Language: English
Subtitles: Hard of Hearing English,
Original Aspect Ratio: 16x9 Widescreen
Sound Quality: 5.1
DVD Special Features: Bob Giraldi: Famous New Yorker featurette
'Making of' Dinner Rush
5 Soundbites
Film Clips
Original Theatrical trailer
Scene Access