A cop has taken his wife to the movies to see something gentle by Ron Howard, but it finishes at the same time as Batman and Nightmare on Elm Street, Part 62, and as the three audiences collide, the cop finds himself surrounded by young entry-level drug dealers (runners, lookouts, bagmen), 'every goddam kid I ever strip-searched, busted, smacked upside the head'. This is it, he thinks, death by multiplex. But the dealers couldn't be nicer. They're delighted to see him, thrilled to meet his wife. These children don't go to school, and this is as close as they'll get to the joy of seeing the teacher in the grocery store, with no more authority than anyone else.

LRB 17 July 2008 | PDF Download