The list of successful TV shows that choose to say goodbye with a final, full-length, movie is too long to include in this review. This is the goodby performance for the hit Japanese series MIDNIGHT DINER. MD was a pretty amazing show with a unique dramatic structure. A gentle and empathetic man known as Master runs a diner that opens at midnight and closes at dawn. It has a limited menu but in fact he will try to create any dish you could possibly ask for. The "regulars" are the equivalent of the "Greek Chorus" from the earlest development of dramatic arcs, the dinner is more a midnight church than a place to eat, and the food merely accentuates the stories of spiritual growth. (Recipes at the end each episode, not so in the movie.) Here the two hour run times does not work especially well for the older narrative structure and the 3 or 4 stores lack the impact of the best of the series. The food looks great, as usual. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))
