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Saturday, August 23, 2008

Cashback - Review

                           

Cashback is a 2006 British film by director Sean Ellis. Ben is a art student who recently broke up with his long time girlfriend and is now haunted by insomnia. To pass the time he takes a third shift job at a local supermarket, joining a cast of oddballs and misfits right out of Office Space. Ben, however, has a special gift: he can stop time, taking the moment to savor the beauty of the female form.

It sounds like an odd movie, and in many ways it is. Mind you, don't let the sci-fi slant slow your interest.  In my opinion the 'stopping time' bits could have been cut completely without jeopardizing the plot or rhythm of the movie. [And call me crazy, but when a guy stops time, uses it to undress women in the bread aisle of a supermarket and then draws their naked form, I'm not buying the 'innocent pursuit of art' argument]

No, it's odd in that peculiar British way. While I'm a big fan of their comedy (and most of the BBC programs I've seen), it falls inevitably into one of two categories. It's either over the top (see Benny Hill, Monty Python) or so damn slow and sad that you double-check the DVD case to make sure it wasn't put in the 'comedy' section by mistake.

Cashback is the latter. There is depressing first-person narration throughout the movie (fast becoming a pet peeve of mine) which treats us to glimpses of Ben's childhood, his sexual awakening, his brooding over his lost love, blah blah. Not that some of it isn't funny (such as his friend's Mom misunderstanding why he and his buddy are aroused) but much of it misses the mark.

The character of the supermarket boss is over the top and heavily influenced by The Office, and some of his parts provide the audience with genuine laughs (cue the soccer, er, football sequence).

Oh, and from the midpoint on it somewhat awkwardly transforms into a mild romantic comedy.

I'm still rather confused as to how I feel about the film. Let me know what you think if you see it.

2.5 out of 4, 70 out of 100.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As a Monty Python fan, when you say they are "over the top," I must argue.

No I don't.

Yes I DO!

Okay, there are definitely times when they were over the top, but I would say it was more WAY out there. Benny Hill was pure vaudeville...Monty Python was much more subtle and subversive.

Not sure if we'll ever see this movie, and your review made it sound so-so...sooo, I won't worry too much if we don't get to it anytime soon.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Beth