Dinner in America (2020)
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A reckless punk rock singer on the run unexpectedly crosses paths with a young woman obsessed with his band.
The story
A reckless, on-the-lam punk rock singer named Simon goes home with a woman named Beth after both are kicked out of a paid clinical trial. Meanwhile, an awkward college dropout named Patty, who has been secretly sending love poems and photos to the lead singer of her favorite band, PSYOPS, finds herself in a mundane life of bullying and family dynamics. Their paths cross when a police officer spots Simon, and Patty helps him evade capture. She takes him to her home, where Simon poses as a Christian missionary to stay with her sheltering parents, leading to a series of bizarre interactions with her family.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Simon, a punk rock singer, is on the run after a series of incidents involving a woman named Beth and her mother. He crosses paths with Patty, an awkward college dropout who is a secret fan of his band, PSYOPS. Patty helps him hide from the police and brings him to her home. Simon pretends to be a Christian missionary to stay with Patty's parents, Norman and Connie. During his stay, he reveals to Patty's brother, Kevin, that he is adopted. Patty reveals her obsession with Simon, who is secretly the lead singer John Q. Simon is shocked to learn Patty has been sending him postcards and photos. After a series of events, including Simon confronting his band and a violent encounter with bullies, Simon and Patty bond. They eventually have sex and record a song together. Simon's family eventually invites them to dinner, where a confrontation leads to them being kicked out. Simon eventually takes Patty to a secret rock show where he performs 'Dinner in America' for her. He is arrested, but Patty is inspired to start her own band.
- First release year
- 2020
- Runtime (minutes)
- 108
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Adam Carter Rehmeier
- Writers
- Adam Carter Rehmeier · writer
- Cast and characters
- Kyle Gallner · Simon/John Q; Emily Skeggs · Patty; Griffin Gluck · Kevin; Pat Healy · Norman; Mary Lynn Rajskub · Connie; David Yow · Eddie Sorvino; Hannah Marks · Beth; Nick Chinlund · Bill; Lea Thompson · Betty
- Genres
- coming-of-age; dark comedy
- Themes
- Obsession; Identity; Outcasts
- Tone and mood
- Surreal; Hilarious; Energetic
- Premise and plot tags
- Punk Rock; Coming-of-Age; Dark Comedy
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim for its energy and lead performances, eventually developing a cult following on TikTok and other social platforms.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 80 · scale: 100 · review count: 8
- Production trivia
- The film was dedicated to producer Danny Leiner, who died during production.; The film gained a cult following after going viral on TikTok in 2024.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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