There are very visual films and there are very talky films.
Most films fall into the former category. However, one of the most famous of the latter variety was My Dinner With Andre (1984), a brilliant talk-fest directed by Louis Malle.
This little gem has no gastronomic delights and it's no intellectual heavyweight, either. It does, however, hit you between the eyes with its raw emotions and power.
Consider this as a plot: an unnamed man (Ray Winstone) spends day after day with a local London prostitute, paying her to allow him to find out everything about her. The hooker, Naomi (Jan Graveson), agrees to the arrangement initially, but soon, she begins to question the man's motivations despite the fact that he's not violent, he's very courteous, but he's very nervous and evasive about what he wants other than to ask questions.
At a certain point, he tells Naomi his name is Richard. He asks for her real name. She refuses. But he keeps pressing for more details about her work, her life, her loves if she has any, that is. He pays her a lot of money to talk. So, she answers his questions. And, at the end of his time each day, he leaves to go home to his suburban house and his suburban wife to watch his suburban TV etc etc.
Why is Richard doing this every day? Good question...
Were it not for the acting skill of Winstone and Graveson plus the intricate and highly charged script, I think many would walk away from this one, because the narrative doesn't seem to be going anywhere. That is, until you realize that Richard is slowly but surely gaining Naomi's trust: and eventually, Richard is no longer a john or a client. He's a friend...
So, it's when Richard finally asks Naomi to do something extra special for him that the real reason for Richard's interest in Naomi is revealed in an emotional climax that will touch all but the most cynical or hard-hearted.
So, to say any more about this very clever narrative would spoil it completely.
Cinematography and music soundtrack are excellent, although I was a bit annoyed by the overuse of quick zooms in, reminding me of the way some Asian directors do the same technique with martial arts films. That aside, it's actually very well photographed, with some unusual stairway shots. Some might say it is way too slow. Given the context of the whole story, however, I think it's just right.
Now - all of that might make you think this film is a downer. Not so. In fact, it's an object lesson in what it means when you gain somebody's trust and the final scene between Richard and Naomi says it all...
