The Cook, The Thief, His Wife 
& Her Lover18

Directed by Peter Greenaway | UK | 1989 | 2h 4m | Starring Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon, Richard Bohringer, Alan Howard, Tim Roth, Ciarán Hinds

A ruthless mobster purchases a gourmet restaurant in London, regularly dining there with his long-suffering wife. However, when the cook, a thief, the mobster’s wife, and her secret lover all come together, a shocking torrent of sex, food, murder, and revenge is unleashed. Set to Michael Nyman’s score and featuring Jean Paul Gaultier’s costumes, Peter Greenaway’s notorious and stylish crime drama presents a disturbing feast reflecting Britain’s social, moral, and political decay.

Reviews

‘Greenaway’s stunning “designer dream” is sick, sexy and rude in about equal provocative proportions and totally unforgettable.’
★★★★
Alan Jones, Radio Times

‘Many people will be profoundly offended by this film… but some may appreciate it for what it certainly is: the most startling depiction of intellectual cruelty and evil for many years.’
★★★★
John Mount, Empire Magazine

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed The Cook, The Thief, His Wife 
& Her Lover between May 5, 2024 and May 6, 2024.

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What else is on?

Today (Tuesday 10th February)

18:00

The Hotel of My Dream 18+
£6 for members
1h 38m | Japanese w/ English subtitles
Rookie novelist Kayoko struggles with her career. Holding a grudge over the harsh criticisms from prominent literary figure Munenori, she sets out to take revenge on him — but her misfortune continues. Can she claim her position in the literary world?

Book here

20:30

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple 18
£6 for members
1h 49m
In a ravaged Britain, a world-changing discovery and a deadly personal encounter expose a new truth: other survivors may be more terrifying than the infected. Directed by Nia DaCosta, this ferocious follow-up is darker, bloodier, and brutally intense.

Book here


Tomorrow (Wednesday 11th February)

14:30

The History of Sound 15
2h 8m
Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor star as two young musicians who fall in love through American folk music, then reunite after World War I to preserve disappearing songs. From the director of Living, a tender, melancholic romance about the power off music and memory.

Book here

17:30

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple 18
Descriptive subtitles
1h 49m
In a ravaged Britain, a world-changing discovery and a deadly personal encounter expose a new truth: other survivors may be more terrifying than the infected. Directed by Nia DaCosta, this ferocious follow-up is darker, bloodier, and brutally intense.

Book here

20:00

Heat 15
2h 51m
Master thief Neil McCauley plans one final LA heist as relentless detective Vincent Hanna closes in. Mutual respect grows between them despite opposite sides of the law, building toward an inevitable, explosive confrontation in Michael Mann’s landmark crime thriller.

Book here


Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road.We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!