Seen the movie on TV yesterday. And now commenting on it. Well, that's a movie of two genres (so, if you call them genre...): Road-feel good movie. And there's philosophy also. Two friends who love dishwashing. Morgan (Sean Astin), the philosophic one, and Jason (Matthew Lillard-finally a role which made me like him!) the more sweet one, who loves the life&Molly. Well, i don't know if it will show up on video (or it did already), but well, it's kind of movie that you shouldn't buy but you can watch on TV, and enjoy. There are in the way too much chattering of Morgan sometime, but still a real thing to make you watch it: Matt Lillard sings a love song in the end! :)
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icecoldchild2 October 1999
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(2000) Dish Dogs COMEDY DRAMA
Straight to rental movie, the title "Dish Dogs" is reference to the teenagers of Morgan (Sean Austin) and Jason (Matthew Lillard) another term used for dish washers, with dish washing is all they "wanted" to do as they are wannabe philosophers with an epiphany. A teenage equivalent of "The Razor's Edge" by William Somerset Maugham or their own version of 'the meaning of life' as they both had aspirations to road trip around the country driving a red 1949 Chevrolet they both name "Scarlet". All is well until one of them begin to want to settle down. Shannon Elizabeth also stars as the stripper working for the nightclub owner, Dewitt (Richard Moll) Brian Dennehy also stars as the person to whom Morgan lives with.
Although, it's more drama than comedy, the movie still does a good job into staying with it's characters, therefore, the only fault in my opinion are it's viewers. -
candiceastor16 November 2023Sean Astin delivers a standout performance as Morgan, a character attempting to define himself as a philosopher amidst the soapy bubbles of dishwater. Astin infuses the role with depth and sincerity, bringing to life the philosophical musings that permeate the narrative. His portrayal adds a layer of authenticity to the film, making Morgan a relatable and endearing protagonist.
Matthew Lillard, in a departure from his typical roles, breathes life into the character of Jason. Lillard's performance is a delightful surprise, showcasing his versatility as an actor. The chemistry between Astin and Lillard is palpable, providing the film with a solid emotional foundation. As the two friends traverse the country, washing dishes and exchanging philosophical ideas, their camaraderie becomes the heart of the story.
The narrative unfolds as a journey of self-discovery, with Morgan grappling with the conflict between his philosophical ideals and the unpredictability of love. The plot takes an unexpected turn when Jason falls for a girl, sparking a dilemma that challenges the very core of Morgan's beliefs. The film delicately explores the complexities of friendship and the evolution of personal convictions in the face of love.
Shannon Elizabeth's presence adds a layer of charm to the film, catching the eye of viewers much like she did for the reviewer. As Morgan finds himself entangled in a romance with Elizabeth's character, the storyline takes a poignant turn. The film skillfully navigates the intricacies of love and conviction, keeping the audience engaged with the characters' emotional dilemmas.
"Dish Dogs" is not your run-of-the-mill movie; it requires viewers willing to engage in thoughtful contemplation. The philosophical exchanges between Morgan and Jason elevate the film beyond a mere buddy comedy, offering viewers a chance to reflect on life's meaning and the pursuit of happiness. The movie strikes a delicate balance between intellectual dialogue and lighthearted banter, creating a unique viewing experience.
While the film may not be suitable for those seeking a mindless escape, it proves to be an excellent choice for individuals and couples looking for a thought-provoking cinematic journey. The plot, peppered with unexpected twists and turns, keeps viewers invested, and the resolution of Morgan's internal struggle adds a satisfying touch to the narrative. In essence, "Dish Dogs" is a film that resonates with those willing to delve into the complexities of friendship, love, and the pursuit of one's true self. -
HermioneJWeasley6 January 2005I'm a fan of Sean Astin's, which was a major reason why I saw this movie. I agree with many of the comments - the movie seemed unbalanced -some scenes were good, some were quite bad, and one was boring (some scenes of Sean Astin's character and his friend, Jason, working, which did not add much to the movie. I thought it had the potential to be a much better movie. The movie seems like it is searching for a plot, but does not quite get there. I liked the bits of philosophy, although they seemed kind of out of place at some times (it was overused in the dialogue at some points) I liked some of the quotes in the movie, and the theme of experiencing something rather than just thinking about it. The scene on the beach with Morgan and his teacher encapsulated this theme of the movie, and which I thought was the best scene in the movie.
What disappointed me is the story had potential. There were some likable characters, and there were some humorous lines and moments in the movie.
I am so used to seeing Sean Astin play nice guys that the Morgan character was a bit jarring. He is so insensitive to his friend Jason, especially at a scene near the end. Jason is clearly the more mature of the two.
Matthew Lillard's character is the most likable and believable character in the movie. He is good - natured and an easygoing guy. In contrast, Sean Astin's character Morgan does show potential of being a nice guy, but he's a very cynical guy who distances himself from women, and doesn't believe in marriage. (a good portion of the movie seems anti - marriage, despite the two marriages in the movie) Some characters (like Mr. Dewitt, Anne's boss) seemed stereotypical and therefore not completely believable.
Since Sean Astin and Shannon Elizabeth's character really didn't have enough screen time, there wasn't enough time to develop chemistry. Plus, her character completely disappears for awhile - she is neither seen nor mentioned. The relationship didn't develop enough to be completely believable.
I thought Sean Astin did a great job as usual. I wish he was given more to work with. -
babeulous4 July 2001Don't be misled by the display box or the cast listing: there is no surfing and almost no sex in this picture.
The lead character fancies himself a philosopher, and pontificates continuously. But his philosophy is just surfer dude prattle, there's no thought or sense in it anywhere. And real philosophers don't babble on pretentiously about themselves. Drama works when the characters are believable. This character is utterly unbelievable, so there is no drama.
The lead dude's sidekick is supposed to be intelligent and sensitive. It is not plausible that such a person would hang around with a self-absorbed, pretentious, babbling surfer dude who can't surf for even a day, much less for an endless summer. No drama here, either.
I have known unambitious intellectuals who do janitorial work for the Zen of it. They're fascinating people. Had these characters shown even a hint of that depth, it might have made this picture interesting.
Brian Dennehy is one of my favorite actors. He can be convincing as a guru-mentor or an evil villain, with powerful charisma. But he doesn't have anything to work with here. Kimber West and Lorissa McComas light up the screen for a few seconds each, just enough to raise hopes this picture just got better, and then they're gone. If you rent this picture to see them, you're wasting your time. (Won't someone *please* give Lorissa a decent role in a real movie?)
There are great buddy pictures about likeable dudes from southern California. _Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure_ and _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_ were brilliant. Even _Wayne's World_ and _Dumb and Dumber_ have their moments. But _Dish Dogs_ isn't one of them. -
breakitdownforme14 August 2019Dish Dogs is a film that hugely benefits from the chemistry of its excellent cast: Sean Astin makes a memorable wannabe-philosopher who is lovable for his hardline commitment to his ideals. Mathew Lillard has great energy and is especially fun to watch alongside Astin, with whom he shares fraternal chemistry. Shannon Elizabeth is charming and funny, and Brian Dennehy brings a certain soothing quality to his scenes, though still humorous.
A highlight of Dish Dogs is the 'philosophy' behind washing dishes as expressed by Morgan (Sean Astin) over a number of scenes: anyone who has undergone the rite of passage that is washing dishes for a restaurant will get a kick out of this. There's a sequence later in the film in which Astin & Lillard must effectively work as slaves to pay off a mechanic, which further cements Dish Dogs as a sort of loveletter to the unskilled labour most young people perform to earn money. This is where the script shines: how often do we see a coming of age story celebrating the monotonous work we all had to do, let alone philosophizing about it and presenting dishwashing in such a unique, exciting, and memorable way? -
mrtoast27 June 2000Overall I have to give this movie a good rating. I started watching while flipping channels and Shannon Elizabeth caught my eye. The movie itself is about Morgan (Sean Astin) trying to define himself as a philosopher. To do this Morgan and his best friend Jason (Matthew Lillard) travel the country washing dishes and exchanging philosophical ideas. Jason eventually falls in love with a girl who he then wants to stay with and stop travelling around. Morgan finds this to go against his beliefs and tries to leave but also ends up falling in love with different girl played by Shannon Elizabeth. The rest of the movie is basically Morgan trying to convince himself that this girl will not corrupt his beliefs. Not for people who don't want to think about a movie but also a good movie for a couple to watch. Enjoy
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Derek_V11 April 2001I saw this movie today, and it's one of the few movies that I can sit down and enjoy while actually think about. This is not a big budget movie although there are some big names in it.
One warning -- Sean Astin is really annoying in this. Which proves to me he played his part well. But I think the writers did too good of a job making him annoying. Matt Lillard is great in this movie, I really feel he will break out soon. You can tell a lot of his humor in this film is improv, it's great. Shannon Elizabeth is hot in this movie, but there is a seen where she takes it all off, which I really feel took away from the whole movie.
The story line is that Sean Astin and Matt Lillard are best friends who have philosophies on everything and vow to each other not to let love stand in the way of life. The only problem is that that their lives are standing in their way of finding love.
This is a movie I recommend to anybody who doesn't need a lot of action, or doesn't need humor to be spelled out to them.
Overall I rate this movie very high, it was enjoyable, but Astin analyzing everything to death made this movie good and not great. -
bubbles_82712 June 2002Truthfully, I rented this movie expecting to be bored out of my mind and having the only redeeming quality be watching Matt Lillard for two hours, but I was wrong. Matthew Lillard is the cutest philosopher/dishwasher and is accompanied by the non-stop talker Sean Astin. I enjoyed all of their adventures and the exploration of (no, don't say it-) marriage. I'd recommend this movie to anyone in the mood to ooh and aaw over romance (and Matthew Lillard!) They live, they love, they sing-- And boy do they need lessons!
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frockin_boots15 January 2003I'll give the other comment-giver a little bit of credit... but I found this movie to be insanely cute and very cool. I found it out only because I was a huge fan of Sean Astin in LOTR, but as I watched it and pulled more away from just loving to see Sean, I found it really groovy stuff!! Writers and directors use the same story lines and plots all the time! This thing was totally different and maybe not as realistic as we'd like it to be, but it IS still realistic. Hell, I'd be a dish dog if I had Matt Lillard and Sean Astin by my side... AND a hot stripper. It may not have been as good as I had hoped... but I do give it something for the originality and getting me to REALLY eat at a chip, lol.
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andrewwallSD23 January 2024This is a film worth sitting down and watching and you can see a very young Shannon Elizabeth and Frodo, and there is some funny scenes all the way through.
Perhaps it was the style back then but watching this film made me aware of why you need to have high steaks and lots of crazy action in scenes for comedy movies because if it's simply just dialogue between characters it ends up falling into being just flat scenes. Having a more comedy actor to partner Xean Astin
There's some great cinematography especially in Malibu, and the cast has gone on to become well-established. I wish there was some more crazyness and pumped up music to give this film some extra comedy energy. -
Morgan(Sean Astin)and Jason(Matt Lillard)star as 'Dish Dogs', two buddy philosophers who travel the world, free of commitment, taking up dishwashing jobs at various restaurants across the country. Morgan is the the talkative one. Blah-blah-blah, immovable rocks and omnipotent gods. And Jason is the free-spirited sidekick who is basically just "going along" with Morgan's philosophical lifestyle. So, when they return home for a friend's wedding, Jason rekindles his relationship with an old flame Molly(Ward)and Morgan is left to do some soul searching. And, believe it or not, he ends up falling for ball-busting stripper Anne(Shannon Elizabeth), much to his own dismay. These two film stars are kind of an odd couple...
Anyway, 'Dish Dogs' is pretty amusing, and the script very rarely takes itself seriously. I do think that Sean Astin kind of talks too much, though. This may turn the viewer off, but I would recommend sticking with it. The second half of the film is much better than the first half because Morgan has to confront reality and stop asking those unanswerable questions about love and marriage. The ending is pretty cool, too, I guess.
5/10 is my vote. It has its good points. -
queen_legolas24 September 2003It isn't a bad movie it's just not a great one. If you don't mind a simple film with nice likable characters then watch it. Its simple but fun when you have nothing else to do.
The reason I watched it was because I was a Sean Astin fan. And if you are then it's cool simply because he's in it. Although I was surprised because there is some funny moments and some quite touching moments too which was surprising. And Matthew (Lillard) singing at the end was fantastic.
It isn't a fantastic movie but give it a go it might surprise you, just don't expect anything too much. -
frogman3913 January 2001I chose this movie by the cover which was a bad move. It wasn't funny at all and the main characters were obnoxious. The girl was beautiful but the story and the acting were terrible. It had absolutely nothing to do with surfing. It had a few scenes with no waves- oh it did have the 2 main characters who obviously can't surf try to take off on a closeout. Then it showed Brian Dennehy who I liked in Cocoon but I lost all respect for him in this movie. It was obvious no one in the movie surfs, which is a good thing because they act like losers anyway. I'm amazed they wasted time and money producing this film. I'm even more amazed people bought it.
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jeeraf77023 July 2004So I was flipping through the channels this evening, and happened to stop and find this movie, on the WE network of all places! Now, if not for the presence of Sean Astin, Matthew Lillard and Shannon Elizabeth, I would have sworn this was a rerun of some movie of the week from 1984. Brian Dennehy? OK. RICHARD MOLL??? I was convinced someone had constructed a time machine to transport the lead actors back to the 80s. I then tried to determine whether or not this movie was SET in the 1980s...and after viewing the bridesmaid attire in the wedding scene I had thought I had solved the mystery!
But alas, no. Now, I realize this was a lower budget movie, but I just can't get over the fact that the lighting, sound and film quality exactly resemble that sort of early 80s TV movie I was talking about. Did the editors age the film??? Someone help me out here! I know this post sounds sarcastic, but I'm honestly stumped! Did the WE channel just get a hold of a bad copy or what???