Film: The Outrun

The next two days are film, although they're not booking out, so I haven't booked.. tonight, it was The Outrun, finally, in which Saoirse Ronan plays the true story of a recovering alcoholic who returns to her native Orkney. It's been out long enough that, by now, showings are limited - but it was on this evening at Picturehouse Central.

I nipped off quite early - the joys of WFH. And strangely, the #188 wasn't going past Waterloo - none of them. It wasn't a thing of not going over the bridge, as I've seen before - none of the others seemed to have a problem! So I just picked up another, and made it with enough time to spare. Interestingly, I see alcohol is only sold in the bar now, not the concession stand, as it used to be.. still no problem taking it into the cinema, though! until an elderly bloke came to take the seat beside me - he had an armload of shopping bags, and seemed to be waiting for me to get up - well sorry, it wouldn't have done any good, these seats don't tip! So he proceeded to take my poor glass of wine out with a sweep of his bags, leaving it tinkling on the floor. Not even an apology. Just as well I had it mostly finished already, I suppose..

Ironic, what with this being the story of an alcoholic. There isn't a helluva lot of plot to this - she spends most of the film searching for another direction, now she's stopped drinking. We have plenty of flashbacks to her hedonistic life in London, which she misses. But ooh wow, I wasn't expecting what they did with Orkney.. we get seals, we get seal cries (kind of like wolf howls, as someone says), we get her braving winter waters. Her father is bipolar, as it happens - has another turn while she's up there, detoxing. And her mother turns to religion - ah jeez, she even has Christian rockers in the house..

Things improve when she takes herself even more remote, to Papa Westray. She's all on her own, rents a cottage for a few months. Communes with the seals, records the gale-force winds. The internet features strongly - I was impressed they could get it, in such remote parts! Jeez, I can't get such reception, back in Ireland.. By the time she's done there, in short, her life has new purpose..

It's absolutely spectacularly shot, absolutely a love letter to Orkney. We might not all develop the love of seaweed that she does - but I foresee something of a resurgence in the tourist industry there. Highly recommended. Oh, and the title refers to an area set aside for grazing - she has a farming background, you see. Anyway, delighted to have gotten that seen.

Afterwards to the Angus Steakhouse, with good food (spectacular peppercorn sauce), terrific service, and a carafe of wine, constantly refilled by a waiter who tutted at me every time he passed and saw my glass less than half full. All very moreish..

And tomorrow - well, it was looking like Carrie. And showing in the refined surrounds of The Garden Cinema, no less! Of course, I've seen that now.. but I'm very happy with the alternative! The Apprentice is the story of a young Donald Trump, learning his Machiavellian business skills from Roy Cohn. The title is a clever nod to the tv programme Trump was involved in, too. Yes, I think I'll enjoy this.. showing in my local cinema, the Curzon Aldgate, happily.

Then on Wednesday, I'm headed back to Ireland for a long weekend, it being my mother's birthday on Thursday. I fly back to London on Sunday - and next Monday, I'm with The Horror Book Club (first time in an age) for an author talk at the Prince of Wales, their usual haunt.

On the 29th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for A Raisin in the Sun, at the Lyric Hammersmith.

On the 30th, back with The Hideout (and their sister group, Movie Roadhouse) for the Darkness Falls social (I think that's a lovely name). At the BFI, as usual - I'm eating at The Archduke beforehand - and then they tacked on a trip to see Hallowe'en at the end of the night! I've seen it a million times - but hey, it's a classic, I can see it once more!

Hallowe'en itself is always an important night for me to plan - I had dreadful trouble this year finding something, though. But now, London Social Detours has finally posted something for the day - a lunchtime talk about the World's Weirdest Deaths (happening at the Guildhall Library), followed by a mini horror walk, followed by a trip to the Crosse Keys. I've booked it, and booked the time off work.. wanted to wait until I had a good reason.

That evening, the London Irish Centre have a showing of the first ever Irish language horror film, An Taibhse (The Ghost)! So, I've booked for that too.. Eating beforehand in The Blues Kitchen Camden. So I'll have to watch my time with the Crosse Keys..