Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Lack of good storyline.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

i wished this movie would have been longer, a lot longer. it was more interesting and less pretentious than my dinner with andre, mixed a wide and pedestrian set of dialogues with some interesting plot and character points and came up with something rather fun to watch. the actors and actresses (mostly unknown to me) do fine jobs inhabiting their characters (if they are even characters) and dine at of all places a bar. as the night wears on they get drunker and talk about religion, sex, and relationships which are some of the major guideposts of human social life and interaction. the movie easily could have doubled it's length and the subject matter could have been further explored in deeper and deeper ways and still have remained fresh and entertaining while avoiding the artsy abstractions and pretensions of andre. kudos to the writer and director of this film, the later of which i would learn to my surprise is bob odenkirk of mr. show fame. my only beef with the film is the abruptness of it and it's unwillingness to weave deeper levels of understanding about it's subject matter in the way a milan kundera novel does. pity.9 out 10

Melvin (Writer Micheal Blieden, adapting his own stage play for the small screen), meets up with friends, old and new, over dinner and has a conversation about ghosts, religion, sex, secrets, and religion (not necessarily in that order). The conversation itself is engaging and flows nicely, but the scenes out of the restaurant,though not without merit (David Cross, Jack Black, and Maura Tierney, have good parts in said parts), tend to mess up the flow of the film somewhat. And based on the film I'd be interested in seeing the play.My Grade: B- DVD Extras: Commentary by Bob Odenkirk, Micheal Blieden, and cast members; Second Commentary by Odenkirk, Blieden, the producers, composer, and Cinematographer; "The Frank International Film Festical" (a funny 15 minute skit); Scenes from the stage play Phyro-Giants!"; Trailers for "the Slaughter Rule", "Swimming", "Mule Skinner Blues", "Searching for Paradise", "the Hired Hand", "the Other Side of the Bed", "In This World", "Dopamine", and a promo for the Sundance film series DVD-ROM: Screenplay in PDF format

Michael Blieden wrote the play in which the film is based. "Melvin Goes to Dinner" is a fast paced adaptation directed by Bob Odenkirk. It was a refreshing movie in which the writer, Mr. Blieden, has opened up the play in a satisfying way.The premise of the film is a dinner among friends. During the dinner we get to know the dynamics among the diners. These yuppies are not the shallow individuals we might have taken them for. During the course of the dinner while the tongues get loose with the drinking, we realize what's really going on. The conversation is easy, and friendly, which is what happens when people that haven't seen one another for some period of time, will pick up where they left off the last time they met. The young cast is likable. The author, Michael Blieden plays the leading role of Melvin. Matt Rice is Joey. Annabelle Gurwitch is Sarah, the woman who is connected to one of the friends in a way the others have no idea. The revelation makes sense. Stephanie Courtney, as Alex, is good. Jack Black appears in a cameo.Bring another bottle of Pinot Noir, please!

"Melvin Goes to Dinner" is an amateur film of adolescent love. It is done in a rapid fire sequence of TV quality cinema. The acting is real only in the fact that it gives the appearance of a running camera. some of the comedy is cute. However, there are very few moments that can save this movie and make it worth ones time. Believability is lacking. Stunning cinematography is lacking. A real coherent story is lacking. There must be a reason to have made this film, but it is close to the bottom of the barrel. It is not as weak as "Killer Tomatoes", but it is in a close race. If one has nothing better to do, worse DVD's could be rented. However, a purchase of this film is a serious error.