Kevin Bacon has starred in plenty of iconic movies that are considered classics to this day, but one of his best films — 1982’s Diner — is still an underappreciated gem. Ever since making his film debut with a minor role in the hit comedy Animal House, Bacon has become one of the most recognizable actors on the silver screen. Bacon has appeared in some great horror movies, like Flatliners and Friday the 13th, but he’s also appeared in more straightforward dramas, like A Few Good Men and Apollo 13.
Bacon is so iconic that he’s become a running gag in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. A ton of his movies have gone on to be beloved by a fervent fan following. His breakthrough musical drama Footloose put him on the map. The erotic thriller Wild Things has become a cult hit. Tremors is a camp classic of the monster movie genre. But one of Bacon’s most overlooked movies revolutionized a subgenre of film comedy — and it deserves a lot more love.
Kevin Bacon’s Diner Is Vastly Overlooked & Deserves More Love
Diner Is One Of The Earliest Hangout Movies
In 1982, Bacon appeared in the sprawling ensemble cast of Barry Levinson’s comedy-drama Diner. Set in 1959, Diner revolves around a тιԍнт-knit group of friends who reunite at their old haunt — a diner in their hometown of Baltimore — as one of them prepares to get married. The rest of the cast is rounded out by such icons as Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Paul Reiser, and Ellen Barkin.
It’s hard to classify it as a straight comedy or a straight drama, because it’s a slice-of-life movie — it captures the good, the bad, and the ugly of everyday human interaction.
Along with George Lucas’ American Graffiti, Diner is one of the earliest hangout movies. It doesn’t follow the specific beats of a plot; it just follows its characters throughout their daily lives and focuses on their interpersonal relationships. It’s hard to classify it as a straight comedy or a straight drama, because it’s a slice-of-life movie — it captures the good, the bad, and the ugly of everyday human interaction. There are funny moments, but there are also sad moments, dark moments, and uncomfortable moments.
Diner Is Indirectly Part Of A Four-Movie Series
Levinson Made Four Movies Set In Baltimore
Diner marked Levinson’s directorial debut, and as a Baltimore native who grew up around that time, it was a deeply personal film for him. Levinson would go on to direct a wide range of movies, including Rain Man, The Natural, and Good Morning, Vietnam, but he often came back to the autobiographical world he constructed in Diner. Diner was followed by three spiritual sequels set in Baltimore in the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s: 1987’s Tin Men, 1990’s Avalon, and 1999’s Liberty Heights, comprising Levinson’s “Baltimore Films” tetralogy.
