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Melvin (Michael Blieden) leads a life that would make Bartleby the Scrivener claustrophobic. He sleeps in his office, pushing his frustrated girlfriend out in the middle of sex so that his boss, who is also his sister, won’t catch him. Fortunately for Melvin, his dinner partners also have issues. Even the waitress has issues. And at first that’s what Melvin Goes to Dinner seems to be about — four near-strangers discussing every intimate detail of their lives. The conversation builds on a few choice epiphanies as the night goes on and the psychological stakes are raised for each character. They talk about infidelity, religion, masturbation, and a host of other personal topics that wind up linking them together without telegraphing what’s going to happen next. Director Bob Odenkirk (of Mr. Show fame) and scriptwriter and star Blieden weave flashbacks and four people talking into a taut movie where the scenery never gets too stale. And though the result is more serious than Mr. Show fans might expect, the mood is lightened by some well-placed cameos, most notably by David Cross and Jack Black. (83 minutes)
BY NICK A. ZAINO III
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