By Vincent Whittaker.

Every now and then a documentary comes along that’s hard to define, ‘Tom’s Restaurant’ is one of those such documentaries. The movie focuses on the diner made famous by Seinfeld and showcases some of the vast array of patrons to New York’s most iconic diner. There’s professors of Columbia University, artists, comedians, actors, immigrants and the once homeless; This kaleidoscope of characters and cultures that pass through the diner’s doors every day are presented, along with their tales of what the place means to them and the community at large. It builds a picture of how this friendly, family oriented, charming restaurant has stood the test of time over the sixty odd years it’s been in business.

This movie feels like one giant advert for Tom’s and honestly it does the job, it’s been added to my list of places to visit one day and certainly a point of interest in New York City. It does have to be said that the movie is an onslaught to get through though. The many stories and colourful faces are wheeled by for us in rapid succession and the interviews have all been littered with jump cuts as the filmmakers cut out every spare second of silence. This detracts from the stories being told and it’s almost like they wanted to cram every story they could about the place, into the 90 minute runtime. This is a bit of a shame as the stories are told in such an engaging way and the genuine passion and love for the place seeps out of all involved.

It would have been nice to have spent more time with some of these people and listen to what they had to say before being shown the next customer; In this respect it feels almost like speed dating without all the sexual hang ups as we’re presented with new suitors, discussing their various talents at a crazy pace; all set to a funky jazz soundtrack that at times can be distracting. There is something beautiful about the place though, with its bright, inviting neon sign, and a sense of familiarity & comfort that radiates from the staff and customers. It’s a place to watch the world go by, to reflect.

This isn’t a movie you will sit down to watch over and over again as there’s no narrative, just a constant stream of positive stories and warm memories, this is a film that would sit pride of place in a gallery; A place where patrons can come and sit for a while and be entertained with a tale or two before moving on. Tom’s Restaurant is something that should be dipped into for a light snack, not feasted on like an all-you-can-eat buffet.

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