Big Night is a wonderful little treasure, the first of several shrewdly observed films directed by actor Stanley Tucci. The movie follows the travails of two immigrant brothers who set up a restaurant in a small town on the Jersey Shore: Primo (Tony Shalhoub) is the gifted but uncompromising chef, Secondo (Tucci) is the more practical-minded manager. Business has not been good (and has put a strain on their relationship) — they hope to salvage their dreams with a promised visit by Louis “The King of Swing” Prima. But their big night does not unfold as planned and ends with a spectacular argument. The next morning, Secondo prepares a frittata for him and their slumbering waiter (Marc Antony), just as Primo walks into the kitchen. In a single-shot (and almost wordless) scene, we see the remarkable healing powers of a shared meal.
INTERESTING FACT: The film was co-directed by Campbell Scott, who will star as Richard Parker, the father of Peter Parker, in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=d5dWhFQwfd0 ]