“A good movie can take you out of your dull funk and the hopelessness that so often goes with slipping into a theatre; a good movie can make you feel alive again, in contact, not just lost in another city. Good movies make you care, make you believe in possibilities again…“
Pauline Kael, For Keeps: 30 Years at the Movies
This week I go see a matinee alone.
Scanning the movie listings not much appeals but eventually I settle on The Railway Man, starring Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman and Jeremy Irvine. Based on a true story, The Railway Man tells the tale of Eric Lomax, a former British Army officer, who was tormented as a prisoner of war at a Japanese labor camp during World War II. Decades later Lomax discovers that the man involved in his torture is still alive and sets out to confront him.
Since it’s Saturday morning, I go to the gym first and get my workout out of the way before sky training over to Tinseltown, properly Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas. Settling into my seat in the front, middle section of the theatre there is no one within several rows of me (lovely!). Feet up on the chair in front of me, I check in on foursquare and crack open my ice cold root beer. The theatre smells of popcorn and as the lights dim and the movie music starts I am incredibly cozy.
By the end of the film me and all the senior citizens in the theatre are ugly crying together and I feel quite clever for having remembered to bring tissues. The movie itself is excellent; very emotional and cathartic with a strong historical element. Jeremy Irvine does an especially good job of playing a young Eric Lomax.
I thought it might be awkward to go to a movie alone but it really wasn’t. If anything I felt pretty cool doing it and really enjoyed getting lost in the movie. Walking out of the theatre into the bright and bustling world outside, I feel fully catharsed and ready to enjoy the rest of my day.
All in all, I rather enjoyed my movie date; I might just take her out again.