Dinner in America

Dinner in America is a 2020 American coming of age black comedy film written, directed, and edited by Adam Carter Rehmeier. It stars Kyle Gallner, Emily Skeggs, Griffin Gluck, Pat Healy, Mary Lynn Rajskub, David Yow, Hannah Marks, Nick Chinlund, and Lea Thompson. The plot follows a punk rock singer seeking an escape and a young woman obsessed with his band who unexpectedly cross paths. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020. It was released in the United States on May 27, 2022. It received critical acclaim for its energy and the performances of the leads. Plot A reckless, on-the-lam punk rock singer named Simon goes home with Beth, a girl he met while volunteering at a clinical trial. He and Beth's mother begin to flirt, and after getting caught, Simon lights the family's front yard on fire. Meanwhile, track athletes Derrick and Brandon bully the young and awkward Patty, who goes to work at a pet store before returning home. She eats dinner with her parents, Norman and Connie, and brother Kevin, and is unsuccessful in asking for permission to go to a rock show with her friends, Sissy and Karen. For the past two years, Patty has been sending postcards containing nude photos and lyrics to her original music to John Q, the lead singer of her favorite band PSYOPS, who will be playing next week with the Alliance. She is unaware that John Q is Simon, who performs wearing a ski mask. The following morning, Simon begins to sell drugs around town. A police officer spots him and gives chase but fails to find him. Simon crosses paths with Patty, who recognizes him from a college course on music appreciation. She tells him that she was just fired from the pet store by the owner, Mr. Hanley. She takes him back to her place, where they flirt. Simon and Patty later eat dinner with the rest of her family. Simon convinces Norman and Connie into giving him a place to stay for the week and tells Kevin he is adopted. Patty tells Simon about her fascination for John Q. Simon runs away and confronts his band members for setting up the rock show without his knowledge. He returns to Patty's house and smokes weed with Kevin. The next day, Simon and Patty make plans to demand an overdue paycheck from Mr. Hanley. Derrick and Brandon come across them and beat up Simon. In a rage, Simon convinces a friend to lend him his truck. He goes home to retrieve a dead cat from Patty's front yard before tracking Derrick and Brandon down.