Diner

1982 | Comedy/Drama | 110 minutes | English

Info

Five male friends, in their twenties, meet frequently at the local diner to discuss issues they are facing. Eddie vows to call off his wedding if his fiancée can’t pass a 140-question quiz about football; Billy Howard, Eddie’s best man, has a perplexing relationship with his girlfriend; Shrevie Schrieber doesn’t value his wife as a “person;” Boogie Sheftell has a gambling problem; and Timothy Fenwick is battling alcohol abuse and pulling silly pranks. As the 1950s comes to a close, they begin to realize they must adjust, grow up, and move forward.

Cast

Steve Guttenberg (Eddie Simmons) / Daniel Stern (Shrevie Schreiber) / Mickey Rourke (Boogie Sheftell) / Kevin Bacon (Timothy Fenwick) / Tim Daly (Billy Howard)

Why Stream This Film?

Diner is Barry Levinson’s first of his four auto-biographical Baltimore films. Levinson depicted these men with faultless accuracy as they faced the reality of growing up, getting married, and taking on adult responsibility. So similar to American Graffiti (1973).

Rotten Tomatoes Score (Critics Consensus): 93%
Metacritic Score: 82

Accolades

National Society of Film Critics Awards: Winner, Best Supporting Actor (Mickey Rourke)
Academy Awards: Nominated, Best Screenplay
Golden Globe Awards: Nominated, Best Film