There was no doubt that I would make it to a film today. I folded the voucher and placed it inside my pocket, certain of my mission once again. The hours went quickly and already it was 5, and I was in Oddbins serving people wine. My manager had not remembered he'd scheduled me to work until 8 only - and he could not remember why, but, seeing what he had done, he could not refuse me leaving an hour early. However, that hour from 7 to 8 took an interminably long time to pass. I stood, and sat, and waited, and only a minute passed. Some customers came, and at last time sped up, and it was 5 to 8. I put my coat on and left.
The film, set to start at 9:20, I had chosen was Red Road at the Covent Garden Odeon. I easily had enough time to get there. I strolled on to Shaftesbury Avenue about 8:45. I had time, and time to spare. The cinema was busy again, as I had not expected. I got my ticket and went in search of an espresso. On the way I stopped at a cash machine. In front of me a man was taking a picture with his mobile phone of his bank balance. I got my cash and strolled around the West End. London seemed alive again, full of people, and full of exciting places. I bought myself an Evening Standard. I stopped at a small cafeteria on Charing Cross Road and had an espresso. I bought a bottle of water. Everyone I met seemed friendly and helpful. London had not seemed so exciting since I was 17, and first came here with my friends.
As for the film: quite exceptional, ruined only marginally by the large group of people coming in 40 minutes late. Who does that? An indicator of the type of film it was is that about 5 people left the cinema never to return. Another one, sitting two rows in front of me, fell asleep after about ten minutes and only awoke at the sound of the credits at the end. The pacing was slow, but the tension at times was almost unbearable. I would like to venture that this film might be more terrifying than Saw III. At times I couldn't look at the screen. A very good movie, very well acted.
