My Dinner with Andre

I think that if you could become a scientist, or a philosopher, or a poet, or an artist, you would be essentially the same person. It is at its most relatable now with the rise of totalitarian capitalistic governments. By using Wallace Shawn's and Andre Gregory's real names and personal details, this film achieves a heightened sense of naturalism, which might be my favorite part of the whole thing. Their authenticity makes us question where the person ends and the performance begins, which is a direct compliment the movie's central theme. I loved My Dinner with Andre despite the irony of Andre preaching about ways to dig your way out of existential dread, emphasizing how life is meant to be lived beyond plans, or dreams, or anything materialistic and habitual, not realising that that in itself is a privilege, and claiming that comfort can be dangerous because it strips consciousness off of you while eating five star quail in an upscale Manhattan restaurant. I think everyone can find themself relating to both perspectives, which is truly the aspect that makes this movie as interesting as it is. Andre represents the outsider perspective, coming with his Sahara, Tibet, India, Poland, and many more spiritual lessons, while Andrew represents the grounded reality of having to live from paycheck to paycheck, reminding us that philosophy is easy for Andrew because he has a safety net. Despite the context, both points stand strong, and this movie acts as an important reminder to the direction that we are all headed right now. I treated myself to a taxi. I rode home through the city streets. There wasn't a street, there wasn't a building, that wasn't connected to some memory in my mind. There, I was buying a suit with my father. There, I was having an ice cream soda after school. And when I finally came in, Debbie was home from work, and I told her everything about my dinner with Andre.