Cashback (2006)

Hello, fellow film-lovers, welcome again to your source for honest, every-man movie reviews. Today's selection comes to us from across the pond (read: The U.K.). "Cashback" is the expanded version of an Oscar nominated short film of the same name. I say expanded as opposed to "based on" because the entirety of the short film is in this version, as well as all the original characters & the actors that played them. After receiving the green light for the expanded treatment, it took writer/director Sean Ellis seven days to write the rest of the script. The resulting film garnered far less praise than the original short, (14 various film awards for the short, 2 for the feature), even getting a 45% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. And this is precisely where I come in, to fill the void and let the voice of the average guy speak out.

OMG, what happened to Chachi?

Firstly, I was attracted to the movie, quite obviously, because of the movie poster. As I have stated previously, I am just an average guy, which means it takes little to attract my attention, namely a pair of creatively concealed breasts and a panty shot. Intrigued, I read the movie synopsis provided by Netflix, and it sold me on the sci-fi leaning of the time stopping aspect, which led me to believe that I was in for a Scott Baio-esque "Zapped" style raunchy comedy. I couldn't have been further off. The premise of the movie is that main character Ben is broken up with by his girlfriend, which causes an epic bout of insomnia, leading him to take a job at an all-night supermarket. While there, he discovers he has the ability to stop time and observe everything unobstructed. Yes, there are comedic elements, and, yes, there is a BUNCH of gratuitous nudity, but even though said nudity is all female, and very pleasing to the eye, you don't feel dirty or aroused by seeing it. Much like Ben, you view it as pure art and beauty. Nothing that Ben does with the women is overtly sexual while he has time paused, he just undresses them and draws them. Eventually, he is attracted to one of his co-workers, Sharon, and that's where the chick flick starts. And I didn't mind at all.

This cat will not like this movie.

There are a few problems with this film, none too big to ruin it, mainly just loose story threads that don't get neatly tied up, but you still feel satisfied in the end. I will highly recommend this for a rent, I personally will buy it for my collection. It makes for a great date movie and also bears repeated watching. It even pays off in the ending credits with a song titled "What Else Is There?" a  haunting, melancholy piece by Norwegian electronic group Röyksopp. I think I may have settled on a rating system already, something appropriate for my personality.

8 out of 10 Fists.