Sunday night we went to see a movie. Called ‘Remember’. Its clever. Its unusual. The ‘stars’ are a 90 year-old ‘hit man’ who has dementia, and another 90 year-old who’s in a wheel chair with an oxygen tube permanently affixed to his nostrils. Not yer normal ‘action flick’ then. No ripped six-packs and motor-cycle chases here. This is more an ‘incontinence pants’ type thriller. A lot of the action is set in care homes across America. Some of which I may phone for a brochure in the not-too-distant future.

Dementia man, played quite brilliantly by Christopher Plummer (he’s come a long way from the Sound of Music. He needed to) as a holocaust survivor who sets off in pursuit of an Auschwitz guard living somewhere among the most cinematographically beautiful back-drops in America. The guy wakes up every morning forgetting that his wife is dead and calling her name. He has lapses all the time, confusion.

If this sounds in any way lacking in credibility, then you know nothing. Sending out armed Altzheimers victims on shoot-to-kill missions is really common in some parts of… of… errr… of this film.

But in fact its brilliant. And very very clever. No spoilers here; just go see it. I’ll say no more…

Other than, whilst seeing that I missed the first edition of New Top Gear. Which is fine as I never really watched old Top Gear in any religious way. Though when I did see it there was no question it was a fantastic bit of tv.

Which the new version sadly wasn’t. I caught a bit on catch-up, just to see why it had been so panned by the critics. And the consensus really is that Chris Evans is a tosser. Reading between the lines.

Old TG worked because the guys played it very cool, very ironic, very straight. But were very very funny in such subtle ways. When the quiet and sardonic and wry gave way to excited whooping, it was rare and therefore quite potent.

Chris Evans starts at volume 11 (out of a possible 10) and within 10 seconds you realise he’s turned the programme into Crackerjack! for adults. Into a pantomime. He has basically become… Chris Evans. One half of a pantomime horse. The back end here being played by Matt Le Blanc. Who is American. In case the accent, the history and his role as Joey on Friends for 10 years didn’t make you realise that already. But being Chris Evans, the ‘transatlantic’ theme was played to death. And that was only about the first 7 minutes. At which point I could take no more. And for me to hit the ‘stop’ button when there’s a Dodge Viper roaring across the screen takes a lot. Well, it takes Chris Evans. Thought I’d better leave before the custard pies came out.

Happy Tuesday

A xxxx