I didn't find this especially disturbing despite the obvious theme of cannibalism. I think it's because for the entire movie I pretty much knew what was going to happen. I think I would have found Family Dinner more frightening if Simi, the highly sympathetic main character, had been the focus of the feast.
A quiet, insecure teenager with a lovely face but overweight body seeks the guidance of her aunt Claudia who is a famous food and dietary writer. Simi joins Claudia, her aunt's new husband Stefan, and her horrible cousin Fillip in a charming craftsman house in the countryside for the week of Easter holiday. Things gradually get more and more unpleasant as Auntie seems almost incestuously fond and inappropriately over-protective of her angry, apparently sociopathic teenaged son. Simi first has to contend with the abuse of Fillip before being subjected to a complete starvation diet to supposedly "purify" herself before embarking days and days later on a low-calorie diet.
Auntie shows her true face surprisingly easily, tormenting Simi with the gourmet meals she lovingly prepares for awful brat Fillip while the girl is only allowed to drink water or herbal tea for days on end. There's a fairly awful rabbit hunting scene with Uncle Stefan that I deem much more unsettling than the predictable ending.
A quiet, insecure teenager with a lovely face but overweight body seeks the guidance of her aunt Claudia who is a famous food and dietary writer. Simi joins Claudia, her aunt's new husband Stefan, and her horrible cousin Fillip in a charming craftsman house in the countryside for the week of Easter holiday. Things gradually get more and more unpleasant as Auntie seems almost incestuously fond and inappropriately over-protective of her angry, apparently sociopathic teenaged son. Simi first has to contend with the abuse of Fillip before being subjected to a complete starvation diet to supposedly "purify" herself before embarking days and days later on a low-calorie diet.
Auntie shows her true face surprisingly easily, tormenting Simi with the gourmet meals she lovingly prepares for awful brat Fillip while the girl is only allowed to drink water or herbal tea for days on end. There's a fairly awful rabbit hunting scene with Uncle Stefan that I deem much more unsettling than the predictable ending.