The Dinner 2017

On a cold winter evening in Dobbs Ferry, New York, history teacher Paul Lohman, portrayed by Steve Coogan, and his wife Claire (Laura Linney), are joined for an exclusive dinner by Paul’s older brother Stan, played by Richard Gere, a Congressman, along with his wife Katelyn (Rebecca Hall). The upscale restaurant has been reserved solely for the four of them.

While Stan faces mounting pressure as a frontrunner in the gubernatorial race—with the responsibility of pushing an essential mental health bill through the House—tension brews among the group. As the dinner unfolds, structured around the various courses of their meal, they delve into a harrowing incident involving their teenage sons: Michael (Charlie Plummer) and Rick ([Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick]), who brutally harassed a homeless woman at an ATM, tragically resulting in her death after Michael threw a lit match that ignited her sleeping bag. A third boy, Beau ([Miles J. Harvey]), Stan’s adopted son with his ex-wife Barbara ([Chloë Sevigny]), was present but fled before the attack occurred and witnessed the unprovoked violence.

As the evening progresses, family dysfunction and past grievances surface through interwoven flashbacks, particularly highlighting Stan’s efforts to support Paul as he grapples with his own deepening depression. The atmosphere grows fraught as they debate whether the boys should face the consequences of their actions or if they should simply cover up their misdeeds.

Paul’s mental state deteriorates further following the revelation that Michael uploaded footage of the woman’s tragic death online. The estrangement intensifies when Michael refuses to remove the video, causing a rift between him and Paul. It becomes even more complicated when Paul discovers that Claire is secretly collaborating with Michael to distribute hush money to anyone who might find out about the incident. As tensions escalate, Paul reacts violently after Stan offers to care for Michael while Claire is hospitalized, accidentally striking Stan with a saucepan in a moment of anger.

During dinner, Stan expresses his intention to withdraw from the gubernatorial race and plans to report the ATM incident, insisting on taking Michael to the police. This leads to a heated confrontation: Stan adamantly seeks justice for the crime, while Claire and Katelyn prioritize the family’s reputation and their children’s futures. Paul, remaining silent, observes the discord unfold. Katelyn succeeds in persuading Stan to defer his decision to inform the authorities, escalating the discomfort around the table.

In his emotional turmoil, Paul leaves the restaurant, fixated on finding Beau, struggling with the irrational thought that eliminating Beau might resolve their problems. A violent clash ensues as Paul threatens Beau with a rock. Ultimately, he faces off against an infuriated Stan, who is also frantically searching for Beau, joined by Katelyn and Claire. Just as Katelyn attempts to reach Beau on the phone, news arrives indicating that the votes for the mental health bill are secured. The film concludes abruptly as Paul collapses in the snow, uttering a poignant, haunting plea: >“Mental health for everyone!” as his family gathers around him.