A Tour De Force Followed By A Bloody Big Meal

Sunday: still feeling flabby and lazy in the aftermath of a major session on the beer on Friday. The Groupie stirs me from my torpor with the suggestion that we go to the pictures. We discover that there is a cinema cum cafe at Barton-under-Needwood of all places, part of the marina complex no less. The Children Act is showing. We go. Sat nav sends us up a dead end but we get there unscathed and with time for a glass of wine before the show. We sit too close to the screen so suffer from cricked necks but this is nonetheless two hours spent in communal darkness that is decidedly worthwhile. As for the film, well, Emma Thompson, bloody hell. Woman can act. Superb. This is by some margin her film although the support of Stanley Tucci and Jason Watkins is understatedly competent. Unlike the Groupie I have difficulties with the novels of Ian McEwan, but this translates better to the screen than most critics seem to have asserted. Film - good. Thompson - brilliant. Whole thing - 8/10.

As for the cinema at Barton - recommended - not a popcorn machine in sight and no wankers on mobile phones. Post screening we walked down to the Waterfront pub and had really good pizzas and a mountainous portion of fries. Top draw.