The Dinner

Paul has no desire to go out to dinner with his brother Stan, a well-known politician, and his sister-in-law Barbara. But his wife Claire insists on him accompanying her. The couples meet at a hip restaurant but, in between each exquisite course, dark family secrets are brought out onto the table. The couples’ sons are responsible for a terrible crime – as yet undiscovered – and their parents must now decide how to deal with the situation. An argument soon ensues, since public disclosure would change the lives of each of them forever.
Oren Moverman puts moral conflict right at the heart of his thriller that sometimes has the intimate feel of a four-hander. The quarrel between the adults confronted with the fact that their children have committed a monstrous act is punctuated with flashbacks both to the crime and to the childhood of brothers Paul and Stan. The film reveals the power struggle between two couples as they shift alliances. Should they face up to their responsibility or deny it? How do you make the right decision and what price does the next generation have to pay for it?
by Oren Moverman
with Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Steve Coogan, Rebecca Hall, Chloë Sevigny
USA 2016 English 120’ Colour

With

  • Richard Gere (Stan Lohman)
  • Laura Linney (Claire Lohman)
  • Steve Coogan (Paul Lohman)
  • Rebecca Hall (Katelyn Lohman)
  • Chloë Sevigny (Barbara Lohman)

Crew

Written and Directed by Oren Moverman
Cinematography Bobby Bukowski
Editing Alex Hall
Music Elijah Brueggemann
Sound Design Jacob Ribicoff
Sound Tony Volante
Production Design Kelly McGehee
Costumes Catherine George
Make-Up Luann Chaps
Assistant Director Curtis Smith
Casting Jodi Angstreich, Maribeth Fox, Laura Rosenthal
Production Manager Jon Read
Producers Julia Lebedev, Eddie Vaisman, Cotty Chubb, Lawrence Inglee
Executive Producers Eva Maria Daniels, Angel Lopez, Olga Segura

Produced by

Code Red

Sight Unseen Pictures

ChubbCo

Blackbird

Oren Moverman

Born in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1969. A screenwriter (he wrote Married Life for Ira Sachs and I’m not There for Todd Haynes among others) and producer, he made his debut as a director with The Messenger in 2009, which screened in the Berlinale Competition and won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay and the Peace Film Award. This screenplay was also nominated for an Oscar®. As a co-writer, he was also involved in Udi Aloni’s film Junction 48, which won the Panorama Audience Award in 2016.

Filmography

2009 The Messenger 2011 Rampart 2015 Time out of Mind 2016 The Dinner

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2017