Just like the action in the kitchen, there's a lot going on at the same time in this one evening in a restaurant. There are a lot of characters put on our plates to take in. Which is fine if you want to make a slice of life movie about one night in a restaurant. But it's just fluff to fill up the real story about a sous-chef making bets through the mob and they're there to claim the money. There's nothing else going on, that's it. The head chef whines to his father a lot about owning the kitchen. Waitresses fuck around a bit. A guy flirts at the bar. Some art dealers are douches. I couldn't commit and when the final twist is revealed, it just doesn't hit because there wasn't any dramatic build up towards it.

This sits alongside other classic '90s unhurried, zero-hype, zero-pretense humane dramas characterized by their authenticity to their setting and characters. I can't speak to the authenticity regarding the organized crime aspects, but the events are led by a minimalist directing style that just lets the varied cast of characters play out their lives, letting every scene breathe. What I can speak to is the restaurant staff, and the guests, having spent too much of my life in such employ, and this film is as faithful a representation as I've seen, from the sounds, personalities, behavioral tropes, relationship webs, smoking, and the sometimes efete and demanding (and dehumanizing) clientele. Still, the film never tries for zingers, or insipid caricatures of such characters or situations, merely showing a natural progression of events that feel nourishing to watch after two decades of features powered by trailer baiting. I loved _The Menu_, but I'd love it if Hollywood were able to make films like this again. Danny Aiello was a national treasure.