Cashback

Cashback is a British romantic comedy directed by Sean Ellis that was expanded from a short film produced to secure funding for the full length feature film. Finally produced by Gaumont Pictures and Left Turn Films Ellis produced an award winning short called Cashback in 2004 before completing the feature in 2005 using much of the footage created for the 18 minute short. Released in 2006 to a mixed critical reception, Cashback is famous for its stunning special effects during sequences when the main character, Ben freezes time and the surrounding characters. The film has adult themes and does feature a large amount of nudity amongst the female characters in the film.

Cashback opens with the breakup of Ben and Suzy; Ben, played by Harry Potter's Sean Biggerstaff is a budding artist yet to find his way in life who suffers from insomnia after Suzy ends their relationship. Awake throughout the night Ben finds a job working nights in a supermarket in order to fill his waking hours during the night; the boredom of his job sees Ben begin to freeze time in his imagination and assess the shoppers and fellow workers.

His ability to freeze time slowly becomes real and Ben spends his evenings drawing frozen shoppers and fellow workers in various states of undress. During one of his frozen in time moments Ben sees another figure moving around despite time being stopped. Ben begins a relationship with fellow worker Sharon, played by Emilia Fox that ends when former girlfriend Suzy kisses Ben at a party. Remaining in his frozen in time world for a number of days Ben tries to find a way out of the mess of his love life before finally giving up. After breaking up with Sharon Ben sees his artwork displayed in a local gallery prompting a reconciliation with Sharon; following the rekindling of their romance Ben shares his secret of freezing time with Sharon.