Sometimes love lets you keep the change.
Cashback is a film directed by Sean Ellis. Originally exhibited as a short in 2004, it was expanded to feature length in 2006. Both versions were produced by Lene Bausager, starring Sean Biggerstaff and Emilia Fox. The feature was released by Magnolia Pictures in late 2006 and also starred Michelle Ryan. Cashback was produced by Gaumont and Left Turn Films.
Ben, an aspiring artist, develops insomnia after a painful breakup with his girlfriend, Suzy. To take his mind off of Suzy and to occupy the extra waking hours he has recently gained, Ben begins working at a local Sainsbury’s supermarket, where he meets colourful co-workers. Among them is his colleague Sharon, with whom he soon develops a mutual crush.
As his personal means to escape the boredom inherent in the night shift, Ben lets his imagination run wild. In particular, he imagines that he can stop time so that he can walk around in a world that is “frozen” like the pause of a film. He imagines female patrons of the supermarket stopped in time, allowing him to undress and draw them. Finally the ability to stop time becomes real.
A series of flashbacks occur with each progression of the plot, accompanied by Ben’s narration and an examination of the effect the situation had had upon him. He explains how he always has been impressed by the beauty of the female body: how he, as a young boy, witnessed a Swedish boarder (Hayley-Marie Coppin) walk naked from the shower to her room. In another flashback the young Ben and his best friend Sean Higgins share Sean’s discovery of his parents’ adult magazines, and Sean pays a neighbourhood girl fifty pence to show him, and all the neighbourhood boys, her vulva.
Ben’s boss, Jenkins, recruits the staff for a weekend football game and, after an embarrassing defeat, 26-Nil, Ben freezes time again. This time he discovers that he is not alone when he sees a mysterious stranger who is able to move inside the frozen world as he can.
When Ben’s boss throws a party to honour his own birthday and as a consolation for their defeat, Sharon asks Ben to be her date, to which he eagerly but nervously agrees. While there, Ben encounters his ex-girlfriend Suzy, who implores him to try their relationship again. Ben refuses her advance but she kisses him, just as Sharon witnesses from afar.
Sharon angrily leaves the party. Ben realizes Sharon has seen the kiss, and freezes time. After spending several days “frozen”, Ben concludes that although he can stop time, he cannot reverse it to correct the mistake. He eventually seeks to explain himself to Sharon at her apartment, and a confrontation similar to the film-opening breakup occurs. Sharon henceforth does not show up to work at the supermarket.
As a practical joke, colleagues Barry and Matt phone Ben; Matt poses as an art gallery owner who is interested in displaying Ben’s drawings, and schedules an appointment for Ben to present more to him. When Ben arrives as agreed, the reaction of the owner quickly reveals the prank. However, the gallery owner is nonetheless interested in Ben’s work and decides to exhibit Ben’s drawings.
Sharon receives an invitation to the exhibition and visits it. She is moved as most of the pieces depict her and she happily greets Ben, congratulating him on his success. The finale occurs as Ben shares his ability to stop time with her and the two step outside into a time-frozen snowfall.
Cashback is a 2006 British romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Sean Ellis. Originally exhibited as a short in 2004, it was expanded to feature length in 2006. Both versions were produced by Lene Bausager, starring Sean Biggerstaff and Emilia Fox. The feature was released by Magnolia Pictures in late 2006 and also starred Michelle Ryan.
The feature had its North American premiere on September 10, 2006, at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was later screened at a number of other international festivals. The film got a limited theatrical release in the US on 17 July 2007 and in the UK May 2008. The DVD for the European region was released in September 2007. The UK DVD was released in September 2008.
The feature film was produced more than a year after the short was completed. It includes nearly all of the content of the short. Following a decision in December 2005 to proceed with the feature, Ellis completed the expanded script in seven days. After getting commitments from his cast in March he secured financing and the film went into production in May. This schedule was exceedingly condensed by modern film making standards. As all of the key players were available to appear in the feature, it was possible to incorporate the original short virtually without change.
The feature film uses an original score composed by Guy Farley including one piece, “Frozen” which featured on the Classic FM album, “The Quiet Room (album)” in July 2006.
Cashback (2007)
Directed by: Sean Ellis
Starring: Sean Biggerstaff, Emilia Fox, Shaun Evans, Michelle Ryan, Stuart Goodwin, Michael Dixon, Michael Lambourne, Marc Pickering, Celesta Hodge, Nia Roberts, Michael Dixon
Screenplay by: Sean Ellis
Production Design by: Morgan Kennedy
Cinematography by: Angus Hudson
Film Editing by: Carlos Domeque, Scott Thomas
Costume Design by: Victoria Russell
Set Decoration by: Jackie Castelli
Art Direction by: Emma Jones
Music by: Guy Farley
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, language and some drug use.
Distributed by: Magnolia Pictures
Release Date: July 20, 2007
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