Plot: What’s it about?
Ben Willis (Sean Biggerstaff) has just endured a harsh breakup, as his girlfriend left him and took his sleep with her. Since the separation, Ben’s mind has been consumed with her, wishing she was back and wondering what she is doing now, in the arms of another man. He is so driven by these thoughts that his life has seemingly slowed down, minutes now feel like hours. In addition, he hasn’t been able to sleep since the split, which means eight more hours of torture. In order to make the hours of some use, he takes a night position at a supermarket. There, as the seconds tick past like hours, he discovers he has a very special power, he can make time stand still. He uses this frozen time to undress beautiful customers and draw their figures, as he can truly see the beauty in those frozen seconds. He also meets a beautiful girl named Sharon (Emilia Fox), who also works at the store and seems like she might be just what he needs. But even now, as he thinks he wants time to speed up and move on, will he discover a single second can make all the difference in the world?
This has a low profile, so it probably isn’t on the radar of many people, but it should be. Cashback is by no means a great movie, but it is a good one and deserves an audience. The story isn’t complex, but it has enough depth to work and the characters, also not complex, also work. So don’t expect an intricate plot lined with deep characters, but Cashback provides a solid, imaginative tale with a decent assortment of characters within. The plot device of freezing time is interesting to be sure, but it is used more as a metaphor than a literal occurrence. Of course, there is indeed frozen time and those scenes are what will generate the most buzz, as beautiful women are stripped naked as time stands still. Not just their breasts either, but full frontal nudity and in some cases, quite intimate views of the female sexual components. Cashback is awkward at times however, throwing in off the wall humor to break up the at times dark tone. But overall, it is a solid and watchable movie. I wouldn’t rush out to buy the flick, but if you’re in the rental store, Cashback would be a wise choice.
Video: How does it look?
Cashback is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. The transfer here is good, but doesn’t stand out as impressive. I doubt that anyone will be let down, but the image is rather soft in most scenes. There is good detail in some scenes, but most seem a little soft, even blurry in some instances. The colors look passable, but the movie uses a natural, even muted design, so vivid hues aren’t really part of the equation. Contrast is good, even in the overly fluorescent world of the supermarket. Not a dynamic transfer, but the movie still looks more than acceptable.
Audio: How does it sound?
The 2.0 soundtrack included is basic, but gets the job done. I didn’t hear much in terms of presence or directional touches, but this movie doesn’t really need those bells and whistles. The music sounds good, with a little extra punch and sounds effects come across as well as can be expected. I found dialogue to be flawless, with clear vocals and no volume issues. In the end, not a memorable soundtrack, but a solid one. This disc also includes Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the complete Cashback short film, which is basically intact within the feature, but you’ll notice some changes if you’ve seen both. There is also a behind the scenes featurette, which runs a shade under twenty minutes, but it is mostly fluff and provides minimal genuine insight.
