bechamel

A group of friends on the threshold between college and their careers take one last road trip before saying goodbye. On the way, there a few thrills and spills, some great slapstick gags and some genuinely touching life lessons.

The highlight for me has to be the encounter between the car and the train. An all-time great comedy moment, as a result of which I more or less missed the rest of the film, I was laughing so hard.

Far from earth-shattering, but a pleasant way to pass the time. Amazingly, Costner adds to, rather than subtracts from, the experience.

Writer/Director Peter Greenaway teams up again with cinematographer Sacha Vierny and composer Michael Nyman, delivering a banquet of sound and colour, light and dark. And dark and dark. A simple if disturbing morality tale sits atop a canvas of grotesque characters, carefully-composed frames and revolting details. The restaurant setting forces analogues with a meal, and it's easy to oblige - a rather formal affair, bordering on pretentious, with its influences conspicuous - sumptuous, exotic, intoxicating, memorable, if perhaps too rich and over-long, and it plays havoc with the digestion.

As acquired a taste as any of Greenaway's work, and by no means an unqualified triumph. This film does not deliver on all its promises. But at least they were big promises. Try a piece - if you don't like it, you can always go back to your burgers and fries.

Nine out of ten.

Notes:

1. Michael Gambon's "Albert Spica" (the Thief of the title) surely ranks as one of cinema's all-time nastiest villains. Sorry Darth - no cigar.

2. The title of this film has become a template for headlines in British newspapers, e.g. "The A, the B, his C and her D". Don't ask me why.

3. "Cook/Thief" is one of four similar and inter-related films that Greenaway made during the 1980s, the others being "The Belly of an Architect", "A Zed and Two Noughts" and "Drowning by Numbers". While "Cook/Thief" stole all the headlines with its snazzy visuals and outrageous grotesquery - not to mention various collisions with the censors - For me, "Drowning" is the best of the bunch. And somewhat easier on the eye (and stomach).

A duff attempt at reviving the British sex comedy, which just about survives by virtue of not taking itself in the slightest bit seriously. The theme that female libido can be positive and empowering is the only real similarity with "Barbarella" - although the outfits will appeal to men as much here as they did there! Harmless fun (but not too harmless...) and a film that would have a cult following, if it weren't so obscure!

But enough about the film. This is really just a vehicle for the delectable Emily Bouffante (a.k.a. "Bouff") who has her own small but dedicated cult following among the further-flung fringes of British TV fandom.