Film: August: Osage County

Ah well, you see, if it isn't booked, you can't depend on it! I was supposed to be going to The Cement Garden this evening, in the vaults. But then I thought to check how long the show runs for - 100 minutes, as it happens - and while looking for that, I came across the helpful information that the seating is on backless benches. But you're welcome to bring a cushion.

Hmm.

Firstly, a cushion would get sodden if we had weather like we had at lunchtime. Secondly, and more to the point, there's no back to these things. And I have a weak back, and couldn't stand to sit - so to speak - without back support for 100 minutes. So that was that. I went to the pictures instead.

Top of the list was August: Osage County. My, but I had a time finding a cinema locally that was showing it at a time I could manage. I eventually lighted on the Coronet, Notting Hill. I left straight from work, with the intention of taking the Tube straight to Notting Hill Gate, and it's a short walk to the left from there. Unfortunately, the District Line played its usual tricks - we were left forever waiting for a train in that direction at Earls Court, and when it did eventually arrive, it took over five minutes to leave! I arrived in Notting Hill a few minutes after the film was due to start.

Next problem was how to leave the station. I never realised there were four exits! So a bit of mental gymnastics was required. First - North side or South side? My memory of the map said south. Next - in the direction of Kensington Palace, or not?! Kensington Palace was towards town, I reckoned - so I'd take the other exit. Do you know, it turned out to be exactly the right one! Fancy that..

I made my way to the box office and asked for a ticket. He took so long.. had to check his watch a few times, as I thought to myself - What's it to you if I'm late? He finally muttered something about "three minutes", and I made my way through the labyrinthine corridors of this old building (at least it's well signposted).

Turned out he meant the film had been on for three minutes - there were no trailers! Other weird thing was the seat - they were tip seats, but in their fully down position actually slope downwards! So the trick is to lean backwards a bit. Anyway, I don't think I missed anything essential. There's a huge cast of stars in this. Essentially, Sam Shepard is married to Meryl Streep, who's got cancer and is heavily medicated, and high all the time. They have three daughters - Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, and Juliette Lewis. (Ooh, I just noticed the similarity in names. Freaky!) Julia is married to, but separated from, Ewan McGregor, and they have a daughter, Abigail Breslin. Juliette is engaged to Demot Mulroney. (Julianne is the one that stayed home.) Chris Cooper plays Meryl's brother-in-law, and Benedict Cumberbatch (who, in this film, shows he can sing!) plays his and his wife's slightly mentally challenged son.

In the opening scene, Sam is hiring a maid. Shortly thereafter, he vanishes, and shortly after that again, turns up dead. Don't worry, that isn't really giving anything away. The real shocks come with the various cans of worms that are opened when the family gather together for the funeral!

You might be thinking that this is a schmaltzy, girly film. Don't. The script absolutely sparkles - it'd have to be based on a play. And it gets really nasty in parts. In others, terrific fun. The secrets that are revealed are incendiary. No sacred cows in this - everything is tackled. With a very black sense of humour. This is high quality - strongly recommended.

Tomorrow night's plans shouldn't change, barring accident, fire or flood, as they say. Ghost Stories at the Arts Theatre, preceded by dinner at Ruby Blue. Looking forward to it, it's been booked for a long time! And then back to Ireland for the weekend, and Lord knows what I'll find there, as Storm Darwin battered the county with a vengeance today, and power is out in 260,000 homes across the country. Including my mother's. And trees down all over. Let's hope it calms down by Friday, eh?