In this taut eleven-minute thriller, a meticulously planned dinner party spirals into a high-stakes game of deception when the host, a charismatic socialite played by Laura Linney, discovers that one of her six guests will not survive the evening. As the clock ticks toward 8:17, each attendee—a jaded film producer portrayed by Stanley Tucci, his restless young wife, a stoic detective, a shady art dealer, a panicked chef, and a mysterious stranger—harbors a secret motive for being at the table. The central conflict emerges as alliances shift and suspicions mount, with the hostess forced to navigate a labyrinth of lies, blackmail, and hidden resentments to uncover the intended target before the appointed hour. The film’s atmosphere is a masterful blend of claustrophobic tension and darkly comic dialogue, reminiscent of classic drawing-room mysteries but with a modern, razor-sharp edge. With its real-time narrative and a single, opulent setting, Dinner at Eight-Seventeen delivers a concentrated dose of suspense that keeps viewers guessing until the very last second.