Cashback (2006)
Average Rating: 5.4/10
Reviews Counted: 52
Fresh: 24 | Rotten: 28
An unlikable protagonist, messy editing, and gratuitous nudity might make audiences ask for their cash back.
Average Rating: 5.6/10
Critic Reviews: 20
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 9
An unlikable protagonist, messy editing, and gratuitous nudity might make audiences ask for their cash back.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 50,136
My Rating
Movie Info
A young insomniac attempts to cope with his sleepless nights by taking a job at a local supermarket, only to discover that he possesses a curious coping mechanism in the debut feature from Academy-Award nominated filmmaker Sean Ellis. Ben (Sean Biggerstaff) has recently been dumped by his girlfriend, and in his grief he has lost his ability to sleep through the night. When Ben takes a job at the supermarket and makes the acquaintance of an odd collection of individuals, including silly slackers
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Cast
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Sean Biggerstaff
Ben -
Emilia Fox
Sharon -
Shaun Evans
Sean -
Michelle Ryan
Suzy -
Stuart Goodwin
Jenkins -
Michael Dixon
Barry -
Michael Lambourne
Matt -
Marc Pickering
Brian -
Nick Hancock
Rory
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All Critics (54) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (29) | DVD (9)
I think this filmmaker has a future.
Cashback aspires to be equal parts Volkswagen ad and Nicholson Baker's The Fermata, yet compares unfavorably to both.
Cashback is light, smart, and enjoyable, and it makes me eager to see what Ellis has planned for his next outing.
As observers we can project our own fantasies onto Ben's, and [director] Ellis enhances this dreamy effect with low-budget ingenuity, like cleverly executing location changes in the same unbroken shot.
Imagine Kevin Smith with a background in poetry and painting instead of comic books and bestiality jokes, and you'll have an idea of what to expect from an exciting new filmmaker named Sean Ellis, whose terrific debut is called Cashback.
It's no small trick to blend fantasy, slapstick and genuine emotion, but [director] Ellis pulls it off with whimsy to spare.
A little too mopey and sexist for its own good. But the cast is engaging enough to keep us interested
A good writer starts with characters and plot and allows the themes to come naturally from the story. Sean Ellis' script for Cashback is all theme, and it's not that interesting a one to begin with.
The first thing one will probably respond to, after the brief rampant nudity, is the exquisite cinematography by Angus Hudson.
Considering the entire uneventful and unpleasant proceedings, 'cash back' may have been the worst highly suggestive choice of title possible for the audience to contemplate.
Ellis seems to believe that artists have an enlightened sense of beauty and greater access to it than common folk. And he may be right: He's clearly mastered the skill of convincing art-school chicks to take their clothes off.
The film lags badly in the middle; the flashbacks to Ben's childhood aren't especially interesting and the lengthy soccer sequence is sheer dead weight.
Audience Reviews for Cashback
Super Reviewer
Young artist Ben Willis (Sean Biggerstaff) breaks up with girlfriend Suzy (Michelle Ryan) which leads to him developing insomnia. As sleep is hard to come by, he takes on a night-shift at the local supermarket where he develops ways to alter time and indulge in his artistic imagination.
The best way to describe this film lies in a direct quote from the protagonist himself; "Within this frozen world I'm able to walk freely and unnoticed. Nobody would even know that time has stopped. And when it started back up again, the invisible join would be seamless except for a slight shudder. Not unlike the feeling of somebody walking over your grave". And so begins, the journey of insomniac Ben Willis who stops time and undresses women to paint and sketch their female form. This is an imaginative and thoroughly rewarding little film from a promising new director. The New York Post compared Sean Ellis to "Clerks" director Kevin Smith, if he had "... a background in poetry and painting instead of Comic-books and bestiality jokes". It's a good comparison as this film is as fresh and engaging as Smith's earlier work. However, it's also a prime example of how films can be almost completely buried if it doesn't receive the right marketing campaign. Such a shame, that this hasn't gained a wider audience. It's a cleverly constructed and stylish debut with sharp dialogue and genuinely touching and hilarious moments. Ellis is a director that has now caught my attention and he draws excellent performances from a relatively unknown cast. The only apparent problem is over-length. To go from an 18min short to a 100min feature is a bit of a stretch and as a result, the film meanders toward it's conclusion. However, this is a small gripe in what is otherwise an inventive and sophisticated little drama.
Skilfully handled by everyone involved and the kind of film that warrants more attention. A vastly underrated little gem.
Super Reviewer
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- Ben: Once upon a time I wanted to know what love was.Love is there if you want it to be. You just have to see that it's wrapped in beauty and hidden away between the seconds of your life. If you don't stop for minute, you might miss it.
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- Ben: The female form has always been a great source of inspiration.
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- Ben: Damn that's some bomb ass pussy right their boy! Gimme some!
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- Sean: I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum.
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Latest News on Cashback
November 28, 2007:
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