Late for Dinner

Last updated

Late for Dinner
Late for Dinner (1991) poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by W. D. Richter
Written by Mark Andrus
Produced byGary Daigler
Dan Lupovitz
W. D. Richter
Starring
Cinematography Peter Sova
Edited by Richard Chew
Robert Leighton
Music by David Mansfield
Production
companies
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date
  • September 20, 1991 (1991-09-20)
[1]
Running time
99 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$14 million [2]
Box office$8,906,823 [1]

Late for Dinner is a 1991 American science fiction drama film directed by W. D. Richter, starring Peter Berg, Brian Wimmer, and Marcia Gay Harden. The supporting cast includes Peter Gallagher and Richard Steinmetz, with Janeane Garofalo making her film debut in a brief, comical role as a cashier at a burger joint.

Contents

Plot

In 1962, brothers-in-law Willie Husband and Frank Lovegren find themselves on the run after a deadly confrontation. Willie, in self-defense, kills a man, but Bob Freeman, a witness, frames them for kidnapping and murder, placing both men in a difficult situation. [3]

Willie lives with his wife, Joy, and their daughter, Jess, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Frank, Joy's simple-minded brother, also lives with them. The family is struggling financially after Willie lost his job at a local milk company, falling behind on mortgage payments. When they learn the bank is about to foreclose, Willie confronts the banker, Bob Freeman, with a receipt showing he has caught up on payments with borrowed funds. Instead of helping, Freeman burns the receipt and pressures Willie to sell the house for far less than it is worth. Willie refuses and storms out.

On the drive home, Willie discovers that Frank has "borrowed" Freeman's son, Donald, because he believes the boy is being mistreated. Frank asks Willie to keep Donald, but when they arrive home, Joy convinces Willie to accept Freeman's offer to sell the house. Willie reluctantly agrees and calls Freeman to make the deal, mentioning that Donald ended up in their car.

Sensing an opportunity, Freeman accuses Willie of kidnapping and arranges a meeting in the desert under the pretense of retrieving his son. Freeman's real plan is to frame Willie and Frank for a ransom exchange. At the meeting, Freeman and his henchman draw guns, revealing their intention to use Donald’s testimony to accuse Willie of kidnapping. A fight breaks out, and Willie is shot in the shoulder. He manages to shoot Freeman's henchman in self-defense, but knowing they won’t be believed, Willie and Frank flee, leaving Donald behind.

The two attempt to return home, but the police have already surrounded the house. From a distance, Jess gestures for them not to approach. Realizing they cannot return, they drive off into the desert.

After hours of fleeing, they encounter Dr. Dan Chilblains, an eccentric doctor in Pomona, California. Willie passes out from his injuries, and Chilblains treats him. He also diagnoses Frank with a serious kidney condition, glomerulonephritis, which will eventually be fatal. Chilblains convinces Frank to undergo an experimental cryogenic procedure that will freeze them both until Frank can be cured. Frank agrees, believing it is a temporary solution and a way to hide from the police. Willie, still unconscious, is frozen without knowing what is happening.

Nearly thirty years later, in 1991, a freak accident causes the cryogenic facility to be destroyed. Willie and Frank are revived after their tanks burst open. Confused and disoriented, they wake up in a completely changed world, unaware they have been frozen for nearly three decades.

As they try to navigate the modern world, they experience culture shock. Technology has advanced, prices are higher, and life is completely different. After visiting a hospital, they finally realize they’ve been asleep for twenty nine years.

Determined to find Joy and Jess, they return to Santa Fe. They discover that Jess, now an adult, is living on her own. She reveals that Joy remarried, believing Willie was gone forever, but she has since divorced. Joy managed to keep their house by exposing Freeman's fraudulent activities, which eventually led to his downfall. However, Freeman was later murdered.

Willie and Jess go to Joy's house to reunite with her. At first, Joy struggles to accept Willie's return, as he has not aged while she has grown older. She feels the passage of time has changed too much between them. However, Willie reminds her of their love, and slowly, she begins to warm to him again.

In the end, Willie and Joy rebuild their relationship. Joy donates a kidney to save Frank's life, and the family starts a new chapter together, finding happiness despite the years that have passed.

Cast

Production

During a conversation which veered toward the subject of cryonics, W. D. Richter was inspired to develop a project involving a man from the past who awakens in the 1990s. [4] Richter enlisted Mark Andrus to write the screenplay under the working title of Freezer with the project eventually acquired by Castle Rock Entertainment. [4] The film initially started in 1957, but producer Dan Lupovitz stated it was decided to move the date up to 1962 as it more adequately reflected the starting point of a more cynical attitude of American history. [4]

Release

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 58% of the 12 critics' reviews are positive. [5]

Box office

The film was released on September 20, 1991, and grossed $8.9 million. [1]

Home media

The film was first released on VHS on April 29, 1992, by New Line Home Video and SVS/Triumph. It was re-released on VHS on June 23, 1998, by MGM Home Entertainment under the Movie Time label.

The film made its DVD debut on December 31, 2009.[ citation needed ] It was subsequently re-released on DVD on January 15, 2011, by Willette Acquisition Corp. [6]

On April 14, 2015, the film was released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Blues Brothers 2000</i> 1998 film by John Landis

Blues Brothers 2000 is a 1998 American musical action comedy film directed by John Landis from a screenplay written by Landis and Dan Aykroyd, both of whom were also producers, and starring Aykroyd and John Goodman. The film serves as a sequel to the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. It also includes cameo appearances by various musicians.

<i>Mystery Men</i> 1999 American superhero comedy film

Mystery Men is a 1999 American superhero comedy film directed by Kinka Usher, written by Neil Cuthbert, loosely based on Bob Burden's Flaming Carrot Comics, starring Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, William H. Macy, Greg Kinnear, Claire Forlani, Kel Mitchell, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, Wes Studi, Geoffrey Rush, Lena Olin, Eddie Izzard, and Tom Waits. The film details the story of a team of lesser superheroes with unimpressive powers who are required to save the day from a criminal genius when Champion City's resident superhero gets captured.

<i>Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy</i> 1996 Canadian comedy film by Kelly Makin

Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy is a 1996 Canadian comedy film written by and starring the Canadian comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall. Directed by Kelly Makin and filmed in Toronto, it followed the five-season run of their television series The Kids in the Hall, which had been successful in both Canada and the United States.

<i>The Truth About Cats & Dogs</i> 1996 film by Michael Lehmann

The Truth About Cats & Dogs is a 1996 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann and written by Audrey Wells. It stars Janeane Garofalo, Uma Thurman, Ben Chaplin and Jamie Foxx. The story is a modern reinterpretation of the 1897 Cyrano de Bergerac story and follows Abby, a veterinarian and radio talk show host who asks her model friend Noelle to impersonate her when a handsome man shows interest in her. The original music score was composed by Howard Shore. Upon its release, the film garnered positive reviews and was met with considerable box office success.

<i>The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle</i> (film) 2000 film directed by Des McAnuff

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle is a 2000 American live-action/animated adventure slapstick comedy film directed by Des McAnuff and produced by Universal Pictures, based on the television cartoon series of the same name by Jay Ward. Animated characters Rocky and Bullwinkle share the screen with live actors portraying Fearless Leader, Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale along with Randy Quaid, Piper Perabo, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. June Foray reprised her role as Rocky, while Keith Scott voiced Bullwinkle and the film's narrator. It also features cameo appearances by performers including James Rebhorn, Paget Brewster, Janeane Garofalo, John Goodman, David Alan Grier, Don Novello, Jon Polito, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Max Grodenchik, Norman Lloyd, Jonathan Winters and Billy Crystal. The film follows Rocky and Bullwinkle, who are enlisting their help by a young rookie FBI agent named Karen Sympathy to stop Boris, Natasha, and Fearless Leader from taking over the United States.

<i>Permanent Midnight</i> 1998 American film

Permanent Midnight is a 1998 independent drama film written and directed by David Veloz. It stars Ben Stiller, Maria Bello, Elizabeth Hurley, Owen Wilson, Cheryl Ladd and Janeane Garofalo. Based on Jerry Stahl's autobiographical book of the same name, it depicts Stahl, a successful TV writer for popular series like thirtysomething, Twin Peaks, and ALF, and his struggles with substance abuse.

<i>The Minus Man</i> 1999 American film

The Minus Man is a 1999 thriller film starring Owen Wilson and Janeane Garofalo. It is based on the novel by Lew McCreary, and directed by Hampton Fancher, who also wrote the screenplay. The film centers on a serial killer whom Fancher describes as "a cross between Psycho's Norman Bates, Melville's Billy Budd and Being There's Chauncey Gardner".

<i>Dougs 1st Movie</i> 1999 animated film directed by Maurice Joyce

Doug's 1st Movie is a 1999 American animated comedy film based on the Disney-produced episodes of the Nickelodeon and ABC television series Doug. The film was directed by Maurice Joyce, and stars the regular television cast of Tom McHugh, Fred Newman, Chris Phillips, Constance Shulman, Frank Welker, Alice Playten, Guy Hadley, and Doris Belack. Produced by Walt Disney Television Animation and Jumbo Pictures with animation provided by Plus One Animation, it was released by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution under its Walt Disney Pictures label on March 26, 1999. The film serves as the series finale to the show. An accompanying Mickey Mouse Works short "Donald's Dynamite: Opera Box" was released with the film.

<i>Steal This Movie!</i> 2000 American film

Steal This Movie! is a 2000 American biographical film directed by Robert Greenwald and written by Bruce Graham, based on the 1976 book To America with Love: Letters From the Underground by Anita and Abbie Hoffman and the 1992 book Abbie Hoffman: American Rebel by Marty Jezer. The film follows 1960s radical figure Abbie Hoffman, and stars Vincent D'Onofrio and Janeane Garofalo, with Jeanne Tripplehorn and Kevin Pollak.

<i>Transporter 2</i> 2005 French film

Transporter 2 is a 2005 English-language French action film directed by Louis Leterrier and written by Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen. It is the sequel to The Transporter (2002) and the second installment in the Transporter franchise, followed by Transporter 3 (2008) and The Transporter Refueled, also called Transporter 4 (2015). It stars Jason Statham as Frank Martin, with Alessandro Gassmann, Amber Valletta, Kate Nauta, François Berléand, Matthew Modine, and Jason Flemyng. In the film, Frank Martin (Statham) is tasked with protecting the young son of politician Jefferson Billings (Modine) from an international drugs cartel.

<i>Wonderland</i> (2003 film) 2003 American crime and drama film by James Cox

Wonderland is a 2003 American crime drama film, co-written and directed by James Cox and based on the real-life Wonderland Murders that occurred in 1981. The film stars Val Kilmer, Kate Bosworth, Dylan McDermott, Carrie Fisher, Lisa Kudrow, Josh Lucas, Christina Applegate, Tim Blake Nelson, and Janeane Garofalo. Kilmer plays the role of John Holmes, a famous pornographic film star and suspected accomplice in four grisly murders committed in a house at 8763 Wonderland Avenue, in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles. The film uses a nonlinear Rashomon-style narrative structure to present conflicting accounts of the murders from differing perspectives.

<i>Touch</i> (1997 film) 1997 American film

Touch is a 1997 American black comedy drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader. It is based on a 1987 novel by Elmore Leonard. It stars Christopher Walken, Richard Schiff, Bridget Fonda, Skeet Ulrich, Tom Arnold, Gina Gershon, Lolita Davidovich, Janeane Garofalo, LL Cool J, and Paul Mazursky. It was shot in Fullerton, California.

<i>Dutch</i> (1991 film) 1991 film by Peter Faiman

Dutch is a 1991 American road comedy-drama film directed by Peter Faiman, and written by John Hughes. The film stars Ed O'Neill and Ethan Embry, co-starring JoBeth Williams, Christopher McDonald, Ari Meyers, and E. G. Daily. The original music score was composed by Alan Silvestri.

<i>Jinxed!</i> (1982 film) 1982 film by Don Siegel

Jinxed! is a 1982 American comedy film starring Bette Midler, Rip Torn and Ken Wahl. The film was the last to be directed by Don Siegel, who suffered a heart attack during production. Siegel hired Sam Peckinpah, who had worked for him in the past, to shoot second-unit work, for which Peckinpah was uncredited.

<i>Duane Hopwood</i> 2005 American film

Duane Hopwood is a 2005 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Matt Mulhern, and starring David Schwimmer, Janeane Garofalo, Judah Friedlander, John Krasinski and Steve Schirripa. After being featured in the Sundance Film Festival in January 2005, it later had a limited theatrical release in November 2005. The film's plot centers on the title character (Schwimmer), an alcoholic whose life is spiraling downward rapidly after his divorce from Linda (Garofalo).

<i>Blind Fury</i> 1989 film by Phillip Noyce

Blind Fury is a 1989 American action comedy film directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Rutger Hauer, Terry O'Quinn, Lisa Blount, Randall "Tex" Cobb, and Noble Willingham. It is a modernized, English-language remake of Zatoichi Challenged, the 17th film in the Japanese Zatoichi film series.

<i>Bye Bye Love</i> (film) 1995 American film

Bye Bye Love is a 1995 American romantic comedy film that deals with the central issue of divorce. It was directed by Sam Weisman and written by Gary David Goldberg and Brad Hall. It stars Matthew Modine, Randy Quaid, Paul Reiser, Janeane Garofalo, Amy Brenneman, Eliza Dushku, Rob Reiner, Amber Benson, and Lindsay Crouse. Production costs were heavily underwritten by McDonald's product placement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janeane Garofalo</span> American comedian and actress (born 1964)

Janeane Garofalo is an American comedian, actress, and former co-host on Air America Radio's The Majority Report.

Brian Wimmer is an American actor. He is probably best known for his role as Cpl. Boonie Lanier in the TV series China Beach, which ran from 1988 until 1991. He also regularly appeared on Flipper (1995-1996) and had roles in TV shows such as ER (1996) and The Fugitive (2001). He participated in the last Battle of the Network Stars (1988). He starred in the films Late for Dinner (1991), The Maddening (1995) and Beneath Loch Ness (2001).

<i>Prisoners</i> (2013 film) American film by Denis Villeneuve

Prisoners is a 2013 American thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Aaron Guzikowski. The film has an ensemble cast including Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo, and Paul Dano.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Late For Dinner - Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  2. ↑ "AFI|Catalog". Catalog.afi.com. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  3. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Late For Dinner movie review & film summary (1991) | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Vandehey, Tim (February 1991). "Late for Dinner". Cinefantastique. Fourth Castle Micromedia. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Late for Dinner". Rottentomatoes.com.
  6. 1 2 "Late For Dinner (1991) - W.D. Richter | Releases | AllMovie". AllMovie . Retrieved June 18, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.