Friday Matinee: Big Night

In this charming food movie from 1996, two Italian immigrant brothers open their dream restaurant, Paradise, in New Jersey in the 1950’s.  However, the restaurant is struggling and in danger of closing.  Chef Primo (Tony Shalhoub) prepares authentic Italian food that is too unfamiliar for local tastes and businessman Secondo (Stanley Tucci) is trying to keep the business afloat. He seeks the advice of another local restaurateur Pascal (Ian Holm) whose successful Italian restaurant serves food that caters to American tastes. Pascal offers to arrange a banquet at the Paradise in honor of Louis Prima, the famous Italian-American bandleader, who will be in town.  The brothers put all of their efforts into planning an elaborate feast that will likely decide the fate of their restaurant.