Overview
A gathering of friends unravels the complexities of relationships and desires over dinner.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- provocative
- sardonic
- film club discussion
- adult dinner party viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the intelligent, sexually frank dialogue and strong ensemble performances, while finding the film uneven or ideologically questionable.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dominique's radio interview argues that the pursuit of individual happiness contributes to the decline of modern Western society, while the group embodies that tension.
The men, women, and later the complete dinner party reveal character and conflict through extended discussions of sex, relationships, and social values.
The group speaks openly about their sexual lives, infidelity, desire, homosexuality, and sadomasochistic dynamics.
University academics and longtime friends turn a dinner at a lakeside retreat into a witty, provocative examination of their own habits and beliefs.
Films like The Decline of the American Empire, and why
My Dinner with Andre
intellectually driven conversation, relationship debate, and literate chamber-comedy structure
A Woman Is a Woman
ensemble social satire focused on sex, class, and bourgeois self-examination
Husbands and Wives
witty adult relationship comedy built around frank dialogue and emotional infidelity
The Big Chill
talkative ensemble drama examining sexual politics and social decline through sharply observed conversations
Movie Details
- Director
- Denys Arcand
- Release Date
- 1986-06-19
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (183)
Cast
- Dominique Michel
- Dorothée Berryman
- Louise Portal
- Pierre Curzi
- Rémy Girard
- Yves Jacques
- Geneviève Rioux
- Daniel Brière
- Gabriel Arcand
- Évelyn Regimbald
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- OVID
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Decline of the American Empire about?
- A witty Quebec ensemble comedy turns an intimate lakeside dinner into a provocative debate over sex, friendship, and the costs of modern individualism.
- What is The Decline of the American Empire like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Decline of the American Empire as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Decline of the American Empire violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Decline of the American Empire.
- What did critics think of The Decline of the American Empire?
- Critics broadly praised the intelligent, sexually frank dialogue and strong ensemble performances, while finding the film uneven or ideologically questionable.
- Which films are like The Decline of the American Empire?
- Films with a similar feel include My Dinner with Andre, A Woman Is a Woman, Husbands and Wives, and The Big Chill.
- How long is The Decline of the American Empire?
- The Decline of the American Empire runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Decline of the American Empire?
- In United States, The Decline of the American Empire streams on OVID.
