W.D. Richter, whose only previous film was 1984's rather overblown sci-fi satire The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai: Across the Eighth Dimension, returns to the screen with an amazingly sentimental cross between Back to the Future and Rain Man. Brian Wimmer and Peter Berg star as Willie and Frank, respectively. The time is 1962. Willie is a young Santa Fe milkman with a new family; Frank is his semi-retarded brother-in-law. When Willie and Frank get into a shootout with the crook whose carrying the financing for Willie's house, the crook ends up dead, and the boys hit the road. Wounds force them to stop and visit a doctor, who just happens to be engaged in a cryogenics experiment. Willie and Frank take a little nap, for about 29 years. When they wake up, the latter half of the film attempts to jumpstart a love story that's been dead for decades. Of course, first the boys have to see all the differences between 1962 and 1991 (so we have skits involving the higher price of cheeseburgers, and such--now is that inventive, or what?). Then Willie and Frank find Willie's now adult daughter, and talk her into re-introducing Willie to his wife (Marcia Gay Harden), now nearly 30 years his senior. The cloying conclusion is simply unbelievable given that Richter has presented the entire story in shorthand fashion. He tries to hammer the emotional responses home with slick editing and heavy strings, rather than earn them through developed characters and story. A wonderful premise that sounds much better on paper than it looks on the screen. Not recommended. (R. Pitman) [Blu-ray Review—Apr. 7, 2015—Kino Lorber, 99 min., PG, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its debut on Blu-ray, 1991's Late for Dinner features a fine transfer but no extras. Bottom line: W.D. Richter's time travel film looks better on Blu-ray, but is still a disappointing film.]
Late For Dinner
color. 93 min. New Line Home Video. (1991). $92.95. Rated: PG Library Journal
Late For Dinner
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: