At last, the crypto-gay, cannibal Mafia comedy we haven’t been waiting for! “Dinner With the Boys” is all that and less: Ineptly written, directed and acted, this is one hell of a bad show.
Dan Lauria, the dad from TV’s “The Wonder Years” and star of Broadway’s “Lombardi,” wrote this debacle. He also appears in it as Charlie, a hit man hiding out in Jersey with his friend Dom (Richard Zavaglia), who cooks while Charlie gardens, preps and kills. Their relationship isn’t quite that of “SNL’s” Ambiguously Gay Duo, but Lauria piles up the double-entendres.
“You won’t believe what I’m gonna do with your squash,” Dom teases. Shudder.
Nothing much happens aside from talk talk talk about people who got or will get whacked — until the guys’ boss, Big Anthony Jr., turns up. Ray Abruzzo (Little Carmine on “The Sopranos”) dials it up to 11 as the overbearing capo. But that’s still subtle compared to his performance as Uncle Sid, a Jew who married into the mob and out-deranged his in-laws with his sadistic wiles.
Much humor is milked from Dom and Charlie cooking up very special dishes made with freshly killed meat.
They won’t be the only ones needing Tums.