On 1st June Arrow unleashes Dinner in America, a slice of punk-rock perfection, onto their Arrow Player. Directed by Adam Rehmeier, Dinner in America is an assault to the senses that really captures the attitude of punk-rock whilst at the same time crafting a quirky tale of love and self-empowerment. The story plays out within the world of a dreary Midwestern suburb. Here we meet aggro punk rocker Simon (Kyle Gallner) who finds himself on the run again after a bout of arson and a close call with the police. A chance encounter with the spirited and socially awkward Patty (Emily Skeggs) provides him a place to lay low. As the two embark on a series of misadventures, they begin to realise they have a lot more in common than they first expected. We’ve already seen it and absolutely loved it, the first twenty minutes or so are a little confronting, but once you get past that marker, you’ll become instantly smitten with both Simon and Patty.
What makes Simon and Patty so intoxicating are the superb performances delivered by both Kyle Gallner and Emily Skeggs. Kyle Gallner has been a constant of both big and little screens for the last two decades, starting his career during his teenage years. Many will remember him for his early performances in Smallville, Veronica Mars, and Big Love; others will know him for his film work within the horror genre, having appeared in Jennifer’s Body, The Haunting in Connecticut, and the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street. Since those projects, Gallner has continued to alternate between television and film, building up an interesting and varied career. As Simon, he morphs from the shy and more timid character that he was known for in his teens to an expletive-riddled, hyper assertive, and aggressive punk, and in doing so gives one of the best performances.
Considering that we loved both the film and Gallner’s performance, we were thrilled to speak with Kyle about creating Simon, living out his musician aspirations, and his involvement in the new Scream movie.
Dinner in America is streaming on ARROW and is available to buy or rent on all digital platforms in the UK from 1st June www.ARROW-Player.com.
