The Lunch Date

As we read in Fredrick Buechner's Telling the Truth, comedy is unexpected.

And that is clearly shown in the delightful short film "The Lunch Date".  I love how this film tricks the viewer into believing that the man actually stole the woman's salad.  My favorite part is when she quickly flashes out her fork to snag a bite of it, and the man doesn't react beyond a smile.  Looking back on it now, I really love that the director decided to include that little scene.  Instead, he could have simply just let the man finish the salad, the woman would leave in a huff, and the story would continue as it does.  But no, the part where they are both eating the man's salad together is what made this film, in my opinion.  After seeing it, it kind of makes sense now why the man, slightly confused, just went along with her eating his salad.  That really makes the ending have a stronger effect than it would have otherwise.  I, for one, was completely surprised along with the woman to find that her salad (and the shopping bag) had been on the next table all along.  I always love films with a clever little unexpected twist at the end.