Thank You for Smoking

I went to an advance screening of Thank You for Smoking - a satyrical comedy written and directed by Jason Reitman - and thoroughly enjoyed it. At the time of writing it has an average imdb score of 8.1, and it's not hard to see why - some wonderful performances from Aaron Eckhart, the always excellent William H Macey, an alarmingly old looking Robert Duvall and, in fact, from all the supporting cast.

A movie with a message, and some wonderfully witty lines that had me laughing out loud to boot, this is a movie that I will probably enjoy just as much on second viewing as some of the dialogue is fast and sharp. Special mention too to the opening title credits - it's been a long time since I saw this sort of care, attention and just downright appropriateness of the opening titles. Catch this one if you can when it goes on general release in a week or two.

After all my complaints about recent screenings it was nice to see a print projected brightly with little evidence of any damage, although I could have done without the couple next to me, who arrived late and seemed to think that anything other than five star service from the ushers or the best seats in the house constituted a huge rip-off that should be complained about at length, even if the showing was a free one

My friend Brian Sibley was also at the screening so we grabbed lunch together afterwards, sat outside the cinema restaurant which did an excellent brunch, tea and Pimms for a very reasonable price. A very pleasant way to spend a Sunday morning, and with the free newspapers and wi-fi available in the cinema's restaurant and bar areas which open out into the sun I may well be spending a couple more Sundays at the Clapham Picture House (if not inside the actual movie theatre) over the Summer.