Dinner in America

This exhilaratingly anarchic black comedy from writer/director Adam Rehmeier nods to the work of Todd Solondz and David Lynch but brings its own defiant spirit to the table. It features a fierce performance from Kyle Gallner as punk rocker and arsonist Simon (aka John Q), sporting a permanent, cigarette-incorporating scowl, while Emily Skeggs is endearing as his twitchy partner in crime, Patty. Simon is on the run after an incendiary incident and he holes up with Patty and her oblivious and easily fooled family. Unbeknownst to him, she's a fan of his band, who he sings with anonymously. Rehmeier shows an impressive eye for absurdity as he skewers suburban America in unashamedly abrasive and exuberantly witty style, aligning himself firmly with this pair of offbeat outsiders. The film has a lot of fun with its depictions of both passive and overt aggression, and is punctuated by a trio of amusingly awkward dinner table scenes. The central duo are unusual, even for an odd couple, and the romance that blossoms between them ends up being surprisingly sweet.