Cashback Review.

pictures from here 

I was a little apprehensive when my friend handed me the DVD of Cashback. With the front cover featuring a scantily clad woman, the critical acclaim on the back from Nuts magazine, and my friend being a 19 year old boy, I started to worry that perhaps I wasn't exactly this film's intended target audience. However, the film did come highly recommended from my friend, and in the spirit of New Year's Resolution - hoping to expand the variety of films I watch beyond indie/cult teen movies - I decided it was worth a watch.

 A British film, directed by Sean Ellis, it is the story of art student Ben Willis, who develops insomnia after breaking up with his girlfriend. In order to occupy himself during the 8 extra hours he has acquired, he starts to work the nightshift in a supermarket. Whilst working there, as a method of coping with the boredom, he imagines that he can freeze time, and take women's clothes off - all in the name of art of course - so that he can appreciate their beauty and sketch them. 

Thankfully, the film delivered the pleasant surprise that I was half expecting, it wasn't entirely about naked women. There is enough nudity in a scene fairly near to the beginning of the film, and then later on in a strip club scene (which seems a lot less necessary), to keep teenage boys interested, but the film is more an exploration of time and it's importance, and an interesting insight into a mind affected by insomnia, falling in and out of love.  

Or at least, that's what the film wants to be. On a few occasions it is serious and thought provoking, but on far more it seemed as if it was taking itself too seriously. The films use of operatic and classical music in the soundtrack, and the main character's artsy, intellectual voiceover was almost treading the line between a serious film and a parody - although maybe that's what the director was trying to achieve. I do think the frozen time idea was a very interesting concept, but the films 'serious' moments felt somewhat incongruous amongst the nudity it uses to draw the audience in. I think that in order for the film's message to be taken seriously, there should have been much less focus on the moments of nudity. The two ideas do not sit well together, and I feel it prevented the film from being able to express the serious, intelligent ideas that it wanted to - the film could still work if the women kept their clothes on. I also feel that visually the film was very well made, and it's editing and cinematography could be appreciated even further in a more serious context. 

My rating of this film is 3 out of 5. 

ps. I'm aware that this isn't a review of Whip It or The Darjeeling Limited like I said it would be. Darjeeling Limited was sent back to Lovefilm by my Mum, who was convinced I'd already got round to watching it, so it might be awhile until I get to watch and review that :/  Whip It wasn't half as compelling as I hoped it would be (I originally watched it on a 13hr flight but forgot most of what happened besides that Ellen Page is awesome) , so you can expect my review of that once I have nothing better to do but sit and watch the second half... I probably shouldn't fall into the trap of saying what I will review next again, but Fish Story came in the post today, and I'm hoping to go and see The King's Speech sometime very soon, so it's likely (not certain!) that those will be my next reviews. 


As a first review I think this went okay and I hope anyone that ever bothers to read this agrees (concrit anyone!?) ... length wise I think it's adequate, I'll probably manage longer reviews for films I'm really passionate about, & I feel like it's a practice makes perfect thing, I'll probably read this back in a years time and think its terrible!