The Song of Lunch

Adapted from a poem by Christopher Reid, this hour-shy BBC Masterpiece-aired production stars Alan Rickman as “He,” a fiftysomething book editor who anxiously prepares to meet a former lover for a midday meal. He travels in “London's approximation of fresh air,” imagining famous authors such as T.S. Eliot passing him on the street, and evoking memories of his destination—a restaurant the erstwhile couple used to frequent. Disappointed with the different staff and updated laminated menu, the self-absorbed He orders a mid-priced Chianti, sips his water, and is startled by the arrival of She (Emma Thompson), who greets him with an innocuous kiss. What follows is an intimate look inside His mind, as He complains, ogles a waitress, and the pair discourse. While She is living well and has moved on, He just gripes and guzzles more wine. The always effective Rickman shares palpable chemistry with Thompson here (the two also appeared in Judas Kiss and Love Actually). Recommended. (J. Williams-Wood)