Two Italian immigrant brothers are running a failing restaurant in America in the 1950s. Primo (Tony Shalhoub) is the irascible chef, a culinary genius unwilling to moderate his food for the American “philistines”, while Secondo (Stanley Tucci) is the harassed manager.
But as their money dwindles to nothing, they gamble everything on one last, celebrity-driven evening – their “big night”.
With a distinguished supporting cast (Allison Janney, Ian Holm, Isabella Rossellini) giving quirky, yet devastatingly naturalistic performances, this charming, delicately spiced comedy is the perfect cinematic antacid to those full-to-bursting on the current craze of gross-out lads’ humour.