My dinner with Andre: English movie thoughts. The universe's first podcast?

My introduction to this movie was serendipitous, via a clip Palli sent me.I felt I had just heard a prophecy. It was as if someone pulled out many of my currently lingering thoughts and made a movie out of it in the past. The movie was released in 1981. I was intrigued and watched it. Check out the trailer here. Thought - provoking, isn't it?

Essentially, it is two old friends who have met after a long time, sitting and talking, in a posh restaurant. That's it. But how can watch just this for 111 minutes? That is where the genius of the movie lies. 

Camera 1 of 2

So, what is this all about? It features Andre Gregory as Andre, and Wallace Shawn as Wally (looks like he is in pretty much half the movies ever made, check out his filmography!). These 2 occupy the frames for 90% of the time, with the rest dedicated to the butler and the streets of NY. The first half of the movie is pretty much Wally making his way to the restaurant, and Andre talking about his experiences over the last few years.  

The guys are meeting after a long time, so Wally, who seems to be living a monotonous life, plods Andre on. Andre's monologue reminded me of the architect from the Matrix. It made me think a lot about a lot of things.

I spent the first half trying to assign meaning and coherence to Andre's ramblings. Nevertheless, I found it to be engaging - you have to pay attention, like reading a good book. There are no flashbacks. There is just talking. I think it can be about anyone and anything, depending on your state of mind and experience. In the second half, things change and Wally challenges Andre's points of view with his own.

Camera 2 of 2

For me, like Memento and Slacker, this movie has challenged the very definition of what a movie actually means. This movie will be like a photograph or a place which I will visit over and over again, to see how it remains the same, and to observe how my perspectives have changed. Or a nostalgic memory which you relive to appreciate how simple life was.  That is why this is such a gem of a movie. 

Watch this one if you want to experience what a real conversation looks like.

(Thanks, Krips, for the insights and for proofreading ;) )