Dinner Rush

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Dinner Rush

R

2000

1h 38m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

One unlucky evening, Louis Cropa (Danny Aiello), a part-time bookmaker, discovers that his restaurant has become a hotbed of conflicting characters. In addition to having to please a whiny food critic (Sandra Bernhard), Louis must fend off a hostile takeover from a pair of gangsters (Michael McGlone), to whom his sous-chef (Kirk Acevedo) is in debt. Further, Louis has an argument with his son (Edoardo Ballerini), the star chef, whose culinary creativity has brought success to the business.

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Critics Consensus

With the aid of a witty script and a well-acted ensemble, Dinner Rush is a tasty dish.

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Chicago Tribune

Jul 20, 2002

Aiello is perfect as the low-key Louis, and there is not a weak link in his entire supporting cast.

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Jamie Russell

BBC.com

Mar 18, 2002

4/5

It's as insubstantial as a plate of linguini, but very, very tasty.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 18, 2002

3/4

There are enough plots here to challenge a Robert Altman, specialist in interlocking stories, but the director, Bob Giraldi, masters the complexities as if he knows the territory.

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Betsy Bozdech

DVDJournal.com

Nov 6, 2006

3/4

Bob Giraldi's tight, well-paced movie is an example of what ensemble filmmaking can be when it's done correctly.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Jun 20, 2006

3/4

Set in a downtown restaurant, this is a small, well-acted (particularly by Danny Aiello) quintessentially New York film that recalls indie movies of the 1980s.

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Mark R. Leeper

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Mar 31, 2005

3/5

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mickey M

@mickey_312 Sep 18, 2026

excellent movie but, why is it not available on blu-ray ?

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Henry D

@Henry_Domke Aug 28, 2026

Fun script, with several intertwined stories unfolding at once, great-looking food, and a clever twist at the end that brings everything together. It builds good tension while keeping the violence restrained. Revenge, justice, and ultimately a satisfying happy ending.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Nov 3, 2025

Funny in 1 hour and 38 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Copyright 2000-2025 by Giraldi/Suarez Productions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Sexuality, Some Violence and Language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Jacob B

@RT48293763 Sep 1, 2025

The film may be lacking in plausibility, but it more than compensates with committed performances and a dark, sleek esthetic. I gladly would’ve spent more time with the staff at this restaurant.

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Glen H

@RT70111130 Jun 2, 2025

It really is an excellent film, from start to finish. It's one of those rare indies that really just does almost everything right, perfectly balancing tone, realism, intrigue, and drama, all in a tightly packed New York restaurant.

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Bahad j

@RT27093708 Aug 3, 2024

It was a really good movie. Very instructive. I really liked it. I will watch it again later.Also, I really like the small details of the movie.

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Bob Giraldi

Director

Danny Aiello

Louis Cropa

Edoardo Ballerini

Chef Udo Cropa

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Nicole Chan

Michael McGlone

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Synopsis

One unlucky evening, Louis Cropa (Danny Aiello), a part-time bookmaker, discovers that his restaurant has become a hotbed of conflicting characters. In addition to having to please a whiny food critic (Sandra Bernhard), Louis must fend off a hostile takeover from a pair of gangsters (Michael McGlone), to whom his sous-chef (Kirk Acevedo) is in debt. Further, Louis has an argument with his son (Edoardo Ballerini), the star chef, whose culinary creativity has brought success to the business.

Director: Bob Giraldi
Producer: Louis DiGiaimo, Patti Greaney
Screenwriter: Brian Kalata, Rick Shaughnessy
Production Co: Giraldi/Suarez Productions
Rating: R (Sexuality|Some Violence|Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 28, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 25, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $634.6K
Runtime: 1h 38m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo

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