Movie Analysis on Cashback
SM1008 Art of Moving Image
Cashback
Director: Sean Ellis
Actors: Sean Biggerstaff (Ben Willis, an art student), Emila Fox (Sharon, a checkout girl in the supermarket), Shaun Evans (Sean, best friend of Ben), Michelle Ryan (Suzy, the ex-girlfriend of Ben)
Genre: Comedy, Drama and Romance
Release Date: 31 May 2007
Introduction
Have you ever think about freezing the time? What will you do in the extra time if you suffer from
insomnia? These are the situation that Ben Willis in. In Cashback, time is a very important
element. Therefore, I will write about (1) the speed of motion in the cinematography. Also, a
voice-over of Ben is appeared throughout the whole movie. I will write about (2) the narrator
and (3) causality of the narrative form. Finally, I would like to write about (4) the music in some
specific scenes.
Storyline
When Ben goes through a painful break-up with Suzy, he develops insomnia. To kill time, he
starts working the late night shift at the supermarket. There he meets a colorful cast of
characters, all of whom have their own ‘art’ to deal with the boredom of eight-hour shift. Ben’s
art is that imagining the time is frozen. He can appreciate the beauty of the frozen world and the
people, especially Sharon, who may hold the answer for Ben.
(1) Speed of motion
In Cashback, large amount of scenes change the speed of motion, including slow motion and the
extreme case, time lapse.
According to Bordwell and Thompson (p.172), there are two functions of using slow motion that
are being used in Cashback, (i) emphasis, becoming a way of dwelling on a moment of spectacle
or high drama and (ii) actions take place in dream or fantasy or to convey enormous power. I
think there is also (iii) other reason of using the slow motion in this film.
(i) Emphasis, a moment of spectacle or high drama
(a)In the football match scene, the team of Ben is falling behind without any score.
Cashback
Director: Sean Ellis
Actors: Sean Biggerstaff (Ben Willis, an art student), Emila Fox (Sharon, a checkout girl in the supermarket), Shaun Evans (Sean, best friend of Ben), Michelle Ryan (Suzy, the ex-girlfriend of Ben)
Genre: Comedy, Drama and Romance
Release Date: 31 May 2007
Introduction
Have you ever think about freezing the time? What will you do in the extra time if you suffer from
insomnia? These are the situation that Ben Willis in. In Cashback, time is a very important
element. Therefore, I will write about (1) the speed of motion in the cinematography. Also, a
voice-over of Ben is appeared throughout the whole movie. I will write about (2) the narrator
and (3) causality of the narrative form. Finally, I would like to write about (4) the music in some
specific scenes.
Storyline
When Ben goes through a painful break-up with Suzy, he develops insomnia. To kill time, he
starts working the late night shift at the supermarket. There he meets a colorful cast of
characters, all of whom have their own ‘art’ to deal with the boredom of eight-hour shift. Ben’s
art is that imagining the time is frozen. He can appreciate the beauty of the frozen world and the
people, especially Sharon, who may hold the answer for Ben.
(1) Speed of motion
In Cashback, large amount of scenes change the speed of motion, including slow motion and the
extreme case, time lapse.
According to Bordwell and Thompson (p.172), there are two functions of using slow motion that
are being used in Cashback, (i) emphasis, becoming a way of dwelling on a moment of spectacle
or high drama and (ii) actions take place in dream or fantasy or to convey enormous power. I
think there is also (iii) other reason of using the slow motion in this film.
(i) Emphasis, a moment of spectacle or high drama
(a)In the football match scene, the team of Ben is falling behind without any score.
Cited: Work Bordwell & Thompson <<Film Art>>, 9th Edition Cashback (2006) Plot Summary http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460740/plotsummary Cashback (2006) Sountrack http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460740/soundtrack Boléro – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boléro