Watch The Song of Lunch

The Song of Lunch is a television movie produced by BBC in 2010. It stars the famous duo of Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson, who have previously worked together in acclaimed films such as Love Actually and Sense and Sensibility. The show is based on the narrative poem of the same name by Christopher Reid and is directed by Niall MacCormick.

The show is an intense and poignant exploration of nostalgia, regret, and lost love. It tells the story of an unnamed writer, played by Rickman, who is meeting his old flame, played by Thompson, for a lunch date. The writer is now a successful author, but his life is mired in a sense of disillusionment and disappointment. He has long harboured feelings of regret over the way his romantic relationship with his former lover ended years ago.

The plot of the show takes place over the course of the protagonist's lunch with his old flame. The venue for the lunch is a French restaurant in Soho, London. As they sit across each other, reminiscing about the past and catching up on what's happened in each other's lives, their relationship is revealed in all its complicated and poignant glory.

The writer is shown to have numerous regrets about his past, both personal and professional. He is wracked with a sense of inadequacy and disillusionment, brought on by memories of his failed relationship with his former lover, and his inability to find true success in his professional life. Meanwhile, the former flame appears to have moved on from their relationship, having gotten remarried and built a successful career for herself.

As the lunch progresses, the conversation between the two characters turns increasingly uncomfortable and tense. Old wounds are re-opened, and long-repressed feelings and emotions come rushing to the surface. The dialogue in the show is sharp, eloquent, and biting, with both actors delivering stunning performances that capture the raw emotionality of the script.

The show's narrative is interspersed with flashbacks and poetic interludes. These moments serve to deepen the viewer's understanding of the characters, their pasts, and their present situations. The flashbacks provide new insight into the dynamics of their past relationship, while the poetic interludes serve as a metaphor for the loss and regret that comes with the passage of time.

Overall, The Song of Lunch is a beautifully written and expertly crafted show that explores the complexities of nostalgia and lost love. The performances of Rickman and Thompson are top-notch, and their chemistry on-screen is undeniable. The show is a poignant and moving testament to the power of memory and the resilience of the human spirit.

The Song of Lunch is a series that ran for 1 seasons (1 episodes) between October 8, 2010 and on BBC