Spinning Plates

Joseph Levy's sneakily stirring documentary opens up feelings you would never have expected from the premise — a portrait of three American restaurants.

Spinning Plates may inadvertently be one of the year's best films about class differences in America.

What raises this film to a more interesting level is that in addition to the food, each segment presents a personal drama that extends beyond the table.

So here’s a tip: Don’t desert this film before giving it a chance. You might not want seconds, but eventually it dishes up a satisfying slice of life.

Without a strong thematic throughline, Levy relies on a highly episodic structure, letting the subject matter lead him along, rather than shaping the material into a compelling package.

The overall effect is not unlike watching a chef de cuisine experimenting in his off-hours; not everything takes, but you still come away with a pleasingly stimulated palate.

This dully structured film makes its points early and often, treading water before a purposely delayed big finish.