Review: ‘Dinner Rush’ Old School NYC Indie that Flourishes with its Simplicity

“Dinner Rush” is a true independent film—in setting and style—and proves simplicity is often superior to a blockbuster budget.

Released in 2000, “Dinner Rush” was written by Brian S. Kalata and Rick Shaughnessy. Bob Giraldi directs the ensemble cast within the constraints of a single location, a busy night at an Italian restaurant in New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood.

What I love is the atmosphere. It’s the end of the ’90s—the last truly great year for pretty much anything, and the style of the characters and their use of payphones and paper money demonstrates it. There is no social media to corrupt things. It’s a word-of-mouth world that has brought all of the players to dinner on a random evening.

The Cropa family

Danny Aiello plays the restaurant owner, Louis Cropa. Cropa is an old-world Italian American who may or may not have mafia connections. He believes in traditional principles and simple cuisine. Conflict comes between Louis and his son, Udo (Edoardo Ballerini) the head chef, who crafts artistic dishes in favor of simple spaghetti.

Danny Aiello is a perfect casting choice. Aiello made a career playing gruff Italian sorts on both sides of the law. He may be best known for his role in “Do the Right Thing” when he was also a restaurateur. The character is garrulous about his past, and as the movie begins, we don’t really know if he is a blowhard or an actual mobster.

I recognized Edoardo Ballerini from a minor role in “24.” Ballerini looks and acts the part of Udo. He’s a gifted chef but at times displays his traditional Italian roots. Ballerini has been in a lot of things over the years, but surprisingly never took off as a leading man.

Ensemble Cast

As with most Indie films, substance is valued over style. We’re confined to the restaurant for the duration of the picture. Louis and Udo have their issues and are joined by others. Jamie Harris plays a trivia obsessed bartender. Kirk Acevedo plays Duncan, another chef who’s on the wrong end of gambling debts owed to mafioso Carmen (Mike McGlone) who is dining there this evening.

My favorite character was Fitzgerald—a snobbish art critic played brilliantly by Mark Margolis. Fitzgerald complains about everything in a comical way and is quite rude to the waitress—an aspiring artist played by Summer Phoenix.

Nicole Chan plays a hostess who’s dating/juggling both Duncan and Udo. My boy John Corbett plays a stockbroker who spends the evening people watching. “When did eating dinner become a Broadway show?” he jokes.

As if that weren’t enough for one evening, there’s a celebrity food critic expecting to be dazzled. Tension and suspense come in multiple different forms. The food, the mafia, the relationships, and even the art of the walls.

Bob Giraldi blends all the stories in a seamless fashion. The restaurant itself is something we can all envision. Delicious food, limited space. A neighborhood place with a loyal following. Nothing beats pre 9/11 NYC. The simplicity, the cold streets, the Twin Towers. All are employed to set the mood.

“Dinner Rush” is unheralded, and that fits it well. It’s a tight and suspenseful film that fans of script and performance will devour.