Film: Like Father, Like Son

Well, I couldn't not go to anything tonight, despite moving house, eh? ;-) Not that I'm completely moved - but I wouldn't have been able to get it all done tonight anyway. So I had planned what to go to, and that turned out to be a Japanese film, Like Father, Like Son. In the Ciné Lumiere, which I figured I could walk to from the new place.

Well, that was the plan, except of course I spent as much time as I could dragging stuff between flats, which meant I had left myself a little tight for time. So I took the Tube instead - Google Maps suggested a bus, but I didn't trust it to be faster and it said the Tube would get me there in time. I was impressed to find a direct Tube - I didn't think they did those from West Brompton into town, they certainly don't in the other direction! I noticed that the Overground platforms were closed because of the storm, which made it puzzling that there seemed to be a number of passengers stranded there..

When I got to the cinema, I was asked whether I was over 60. Huh?! She was then apologetic - she was just running through all the concessionary options and pointed out that you couldn't always tell. Well, I suppose.. Anyway, I was a little late, but still in time for the main film.

Which is the story of an affluent Japanese couple who discover that their six-year-old only son was switched at birth with another baby, and now they and the other parents have to decide whether to switch them back. It's sweet, it's heart-warming, it's beautifully shot, and it shows interesting insights into Japanese society. Such as the wives' disinclination to disagree with their husbands, the competitiveness of Japanese society, and the obsession with filming and photographing everything. Mind you, we're all getting like that.. Only problem with this film is, it's about half an hour too long. Several times, I had to resist the inclination to check my watch. Ah well.

Coming back, on my way to the Tube station, I passed a bus stop that said "towards West Brompton". On examination of the schedules, I saw that the 430 bus went straight there, and I knew I could find my way back from West Brompton Station. And fancy if there wasn't a 430 due in two minutes! And I was too tired to walk, after all the moving. So that was fortuitous..

Tomorrow is the London Dungeons! Yep, as the lady said, Hallowe'en is starting early..!