Speaking of more restaurants with heavily curtained dining alcoves.
A Bob Giraldi Film, staring Danny Aiello. Written by screenwriters Rick Shaughnessy and Brian Kalata...
Lately I've become sensitive to editing, and this film was edited and filmed to have a reality TV sort of haywire. The camera and the action and the dialogue quickly moves through the film, interspersed with fast clips of restaurant reality; the ambiance on deck and the chaos of the kitchen.
It's all very effective, and perhaps because at times you feel a little hopped up to follow the story, a little confused. The the tension builds, and having seen a lot of mob movies you're expecting a murder at any time, but when it comes it's a surprise! You've been lulled.
Dinner Rush is perhaps the best mob/Mafia film I've ever seen. The plot revolves around bookie and restaurateur Louis Cropa acted by Danny Aiello, whose partner was recently killed by two young thugs from the Queens who want to take over some businesses, including the restaurant, and the turf. The bookie's son has a gambling habit and is in hock to these two thugs $13,000.
The restaurant is one of the hot spots of New York and an important critic has come to sample and write about the Nuevo Cuisine, while Louis mourns not only his partner but also the days when an Italian restaurant featured meat balls.
Louis himself is low key but, as all his loyal and some not so loyal employees know, his word is a command. Who will obey? Who won't?
Cut. Action. More action. Did you hear that? Overhear that? Did that just happen?
C 2013 Christine Trzyna All Rights Reserved
