Tucked away on Rue Keyenveld in the Ixelles area of Brussels, off the beaten track for tourists, and neighbouring the house where Audrey Hepburn was born, Les Brassins restaurant was a good choice for lunch this sunny mid-February Saturday.

We lingered in Les Brassins for over three hours, enjoying the hearty unpretentious food and superb Belgian beers.

The Bertinchamps Triple beer that I had was a perfect accompaniment to the rabbit in cherry beer sauce. The vintage posters adorning the walls add to the charm of this excellent restaurant.

After the meal we wandered down towards Grand Place, the gold glitter glowing on the buildings surrounding the square.

In search of a good bar in which to imbibe more Belgian beer, we made our way to La Bécasse on Rue de Tabora, a cosy establishment which feels like it could be centuries old.

It was busy when we got there but our timing was lucky and one table became available just as we came in.

It’s the kind of bar where you could happily stay for hours once you are ensconced, but we had tickets for the 9.45pm showing of ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ at Cinema Vendôme, so it was just a couple of beers at La Bécasse before walking back up to Porte de Namur.

If I lived in Brussels, I would be a regular at Cinema Vendôme. It’s got interesting programming, welcoming staff, comfortable auditoriums, and a clientele that appreciates good cinema.

‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ was on in Screen 4. The title of this film made me a bit sceptical – the self-pitying plea implying that yes we should forgive the protagonist – but the film came highly recommended and Richard E. Grant is always worth watching.

Melissa McCarthy gives a great performance as the cantankerous Lee Israel, frustrated author, scowling misanthrope, and forger of celebrity letters. The chemistry between her and Richard E. Grant gives the film a jauntiness that contrasts with the bleakness of their worn-down existences.  

A melancholy yet warm mood pervades the film.

The soundtrack is perfect, which was a relief after the disappointment of the soundtrack in ‘Stan & Ollie’ which I saw recently.

The script is sharp and dryly funny.

Let’s hope that ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ is not the last time that Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant work together – the screen time they share is really something special.

Related Post: ‘Pain and Glory’, Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA)

The post ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’, Cinema Vendôme, Brussels, Belgium appeared first on Silver Screen Cities: Celebrating city cinema-going.