Dina's getting married in a few weeks and there's still so much to do. She has to move her boyfriend, Scott, from his parents' house to her apartment, and settle him in to only the second home he's ever had, all while juggling his schedule as an early morning Walmart door greeter. She has to get her dress, confirm arrangements with the venue, and make peace with her family, who remain nervous for their beloved Dina after the death of her first husband and the string of troubled relationships that followed. Throughout it all, in the face of obstacles large and small, Dina remains indomitable. She's overcome tragedy and found the man she wants and, at age 48, is bent on building the life for herself that she believes she deserves. Dina is unstoppable, a force of nature, and as the star of her own life story, she's an unconventional movie protagonist the likes of which hasn't been seen before.
Romance, no matter what your mental capacity, is something beautiful. It's also a necessity for a woman like Dina, who has every reason to be mad at the world, yet soldiers on fueled by the unwavering belief that love conquers all.
Dina is a reminder that those of us who consider ourselves "normal" go through life in constant performance mode, play-acting our ideal version of ourselves from moment to moment.
Even if approached with more than a few misgivings, "Dina" is valuable if only to offer viewers an honest, touching, ultimately optimistic portrait of people embracing intimacy and honesty the best way they know how.
Sweet without being sappy, the film extends an uncommon empathy to two characters that colder films (and, as we see, people) would treat as a punchline.
