Cashback (2006) - full transcript

MAN: It takes approximately 500
pounds to crush a human skull.

But the human emotion is a
much more delicate thing.

♪♪ [Opera]

Take Suzy,
my first real girlfriend.

My first real breakup,

happening right in front of me.

I never thought it was going
to be similar to car crash.

I've slammed the brakes,

and I'm skidding towards
an emotional impact.

So is this all my fault?

Me. Ben Willis.



♪♪ [Opera]

BEN: It's funny what goes through
your mind at a time like this.

The two-and-a-half years
we spent together.

The promises we made.

The holidays we took
with her parents.

The lamp we bought
at IKEA together.

It was my final year at art college.

And in the weeks that
followed the breakup,

I tried to figure out
what went wrong.

Why did we break up?

It's funny, but when I think back
now the reason seems so small.

One day she's with me,
and she's saying "I love you,"

and the next week she's
with someone else.

Probably saying the same thing.



So did she really love me?

What is love anyway?

And is it really that fleeting?

Forget about her.
You don't wanna waste your time

thinking about a girl that dumped
you for a loser like Steve Jenkins.

She didn't dump me.

Why did she Chuck you anyway?

It ended

'cause Suzy thinks the grass is
always greener on the other side.

She's always worrying about there
being a better party to go to.

Or a better boyfriend to be had.

I just felt I could
never make her happy.

[Chuckles]

And then Steve Jenkins
started texting her.

How did Steve Jenkins
get her number?

BEN: It was a good point.

I only imagined the worst.

I don't want to think about it.

You need to go out with a beautiful girl.
A model or something.

Why?

Well, because if you've got
a beautiful girl on your arm,

then you must be worth having.

Women are in competition
with each other, you see.

Suzy sees you with a sexy baby,
she'll think to herself

"if I can get Ben back
from that beautiful girl,

then I must be more
beautiful than her."

BEN: Sean's success with
women was pretty impressive.

It's true.
Ask your mom.

BEN: The age-old question.
What is love?

MAN: [Farts] Excuse me.

[Sighs]

[Whispering]
That's good. That's perfect.

[Whispering]

Ben, Mr. Adams here has given
his time up for you.

Don't you think we should show
him a little bit of respect?

MAN: [Farts] Excuse me.

[Bumping sound, moaning]

BEN: I live in student accommodation
not far from the college.

It's basically a four-story
concrete block

housing some 120
hormone-crazed students.

WOMAN: [Moaning]

This is the haunting period.

The time when the demons
of regret come for you.

She stood right there

when I said those words:

"I'm sorry.

"I don't think
I can make you happy.

Maybe we should break up."

And that's when she got angry.

[Phone ringing]

SUZY: Hello?

Suzy, it's me, Ben.

Ben! I was asleep.
What is it?

Suzy, um...

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry too.

Do you think there's any chance
we'll get back together?

I don't think so, Ben.

I think it ran its course.

Besides, I'm with Steve now.

Have you slept with him?

Yes.

Was it good?
I mean, is it better than...

I don't wanna talk about
it with you, Ben.

I've gotta go.
Sorry, Ben.

- Suzy?
- [Phone disconnects]

[Laughing]

[Sighs]

BEN: To think about her
now with someone else,

it felt like all the oxygen
had been sucked from the room.

After my breakup with Suzy,
I just couldn't fall asleep anymore.

The more I tried to sleep,
the less tired I felt.

I was wide awake.

I tried everything.

I'd just become immune to sleep.

I suddenly found
I had eight extra hours.

My life had been
extended by a third.

I wanted time to pass quickly,
but instead I was forced to witness

the passing of every
second of every hour.

I wanted the hurt I felt
to go away.

But in some cruel trick of events,

I now had even more time on my hands.

More time to think about Suzy.

Would you mind getting out?
Just checking that wheel?

I took the bus with no
real place to go.

I watched the landscape
slowly change

as it clung to the last
hours of sunlight,

before leaving me to get
another sleepless night.

I started to read all the books
I wished I'd had time to read.

With the extra hours, I even had
time to reread my favourite ones.

But she was never far from my mind.

Two pounds 75, please.

Ah, how much is it without these two?

One pound 70.

BEN: It was getting obvious that
I needed to trade some of my time.

MAN: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Mmm, mmm, mmm.
It all looks fantastic, man.

I think you'll fit in very well here.

It's a great feeling inside, Ben.

[Chuckling]

It's marvellous. We hope you've
enjoyed reading about

what it's like to be part of
Sainsbury's and listening.

I know, I've been
through this with you.

There's so many opportunities, Ben.
It's a life thing.

[Voice fades]

[Sound of heart pounding]

BEN: I could feel a faint
shift in a faraway place.

A current of unknown
consequences was on its way

moving towards me like an
unstoppable wave of fate.

T-e-a-m-w-o-r-k. Work.

Teamwork, Ben.

Welcome aboard.

BEN: And so I started working
the night shift at Sainsbury's.

During the hours most normal
people are sleeping,

I'm busy trading my time.

I give them my extra eight hours,
and they give me money. Cash back.

[Sighs]

- Hi.
- Oh, hi.

I'm late again. Jenkins is gonna kill me.
See you later.

Yeah, see ya.

- Sharon!
- Yes, Mr. Jenkins?

- Late again, Sharon.
- I'm sorry, Mr. Jenkins.

- Second time this week.
- I know, Mr. Jenkins.

I'm sorry,
it won't happen again.

Okay.

BEN: My first year at art college
was boring to say the least.

But it helped me to appreciate
the fundamentals of still life.

PA SYSTEM: I'd like to remind the
customer that there's a special

two for the price of one
offer on aisle ten.

Fresh bread and cakes.
That's aisle ten for

a special two for the
price of one offer.

Well, don't just
stare at it, Ben!

Clean it up.

BEN: You see, I've always
wanted to be a painter.

And like many artists before me,

the female form has always been
a great source of inspiration.

I've always been in awe of the
power they unknowingly possess.

Now, are you going to
clean them up or not?

There is an art to dealing with the
boredom of an eight-hour shift.

An art to putting
your mind somewhere

else while the seconds
slowly tick away.

I found that all the
people working here

had perfected their own
individual art.

Take Sharon Pintey.

Sharon knows rule number one.
The clock is the enemy.

The basic rule is this:

The more you look at the clock,
the slower the time goes.

It will uncover the hiding
place of your mind

and torture it with every second.

[Ticking loudly]

This is the basic art in dealing
with the trade of your time.

Any cash back?

♪♪ [Bolero]

This is Barry Brickman.

You see, Barry thinks of himself
as a bit of a daredevil stuntman.

For a start,
Barry is quite well-known.

When one of Barry's bike
tricks went wrong,

the cameraman put it
on the Internet.

Barry has stuck to his
scooter ever since.

Matt Stephens is also
a king scooterer.

And what was the other thing?

And what was the other thing?

- Sausage!
- Oh, yeah.

[Snickering]

BEN:
Now Barry and Matt are good friends.

There you go.
Take care.

Between them, they have come
up with a very different way

of dealing with the
trade of their time.

Look. Look.

Theirs is an art to finding
anything to do that isn't work.

[Laughing]

A few days later,
Barry and Matt were reported

for what they called
"helping the ladies."

It was these shampoo bottles
that sent them on their quest.

Barry and Matt knew
what they looked like.

And they knew that
the women in the

supermarket knew what
they looked like.

Their theory was that even
though it was a sex toy

masquerading as
a bottle of shampoo,

women would like
to try it as a sex toy

but were embarrassed to buy it because
they knew what it looked like.

The decision to buy it would be an easier
one if they were already at the checkout.

If they didn't object,
then Barry and Matt knew

they'd helped a bottle
find a happy home.

Barry had challenged Matt
to a scooter race

in which they would sprint
down one aisle and up the next.

They would do all 14 aisles,
and then back to the starting line.

They had been waiting for the
day the manager called in sick.

The art of doing something
else other than the

work you're supposed
to do, is addictive.

The excitement of doing something
that you shouldn't be doing,

along with the consequences
if you're caught doing it,

are so strong that it often pulls
others away from their own art.

On your marks, get set, go!

[Cheering]

We got winded!

BEN:
I hadn't slept in two weeks.

My breakup with Suzy
had left me with a

sense that time had
become unhinged.

I drifted between
imagination and reality,

between past and present
with increasing ease.

I feel like a real man.
You like men.

You like real men, don't you?

When I'm out there in the kit,

on the pitch with the boys,

I look like a God,
I'm an adonis.

I keep myself in good shape.

I see the looks.
I ignore them.

BEN: I feel the bolts of time
slowly coming away from the breakup.

Time manipulation is not
a precise science.

Like any art, it's personal
to the individual.

So what is the art in making
my shift go so fast?

[Fly buzzing]

I imagine the opposite.

That time is frozen.

I imagine the remote control
for life has been paused.

Within this frozen world, I'm able
to walk freely and unnoticed.

Nobody would even know
that time had 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.

That moment when you see someone
walking down the street

who is so beautiful you just
can't help but stare...

Well, imagine as I do,
that with the world on pause

it becomes very easy to understand
the concept of beauty.

To have it frozen in front of you.

Captured.

Unaware.

For me, this fascination with beauty
started at a very young age.

I was six or seven, and my mom and
dad had taken on a foreign student.

She was in her late teens,

and was studying English
at a nearby school.

Being Swedish, the walk
from the shower to

her room didn't need
to be a modest one.

It was at that moment that something
very profound happened to me.

I was exposed to the female form
in a way I had never experienced.

I felt fascination and wonder
at the beauty of her nakedness.

And I wanted to freeze the world so that
I could live in that moment for a week.

I have never had a feeling
of such completeness.

To this day I still think it was one of the
most beautiful things I have ever seen.

[Knocking]

You dropped these.

BEN: And would it be wrong?

Would they hate me for seeing them?

I mean, really seeing them?

I read once about a woman
whose secret fantasy

was to have an affair
with an artist.

She thought that he would really see her.

He would see every curve,

every line, every indentation,

and love them because they were part
of the beauty that made her unique.

And when I'm ready, all I have
to do to start time again

is crack my fingers.

[Fingers cracking]

[Jenkins shouts]

You look like shit.

Cheers.

- Still not sleeping?
- No.

- Feeling any better about Suzy?
- No.

- Wanna talk about it?
- No.

No? Why?

Because every morning you come by,

and every morning I talk
about the same thing.

And I'm bored of
saying the same thing,

and I'm bored of
feeling shit about it.

And most of all I'm bored of
being awake 24 hours a day.

Eew! Look who didn't get out of bed
on the wrong side this morning.

Very funny.

But seriously, you're gonna feel
like shit. It's gonna take time.

For instance, how long ago
did you think about her

before we started having
this conversation?

About ten minutes before
you knocked on the door.

Oh, yeah.
And what was the thought?

BEN: I thought about the dust.

The dust?
God, you're weird!

Anyway, whatever.
My point is, every day you think about her

and the things that you associate
with her less and less.

Before long, you'll go a whole
day without thinking about her.

You know what might help
speed up the process?

What?

BEN: Me and Sean had been
friends since we were five.

We lived across the street from one
another, and grew up together.

For his 12th birthday,
Sean's mom and dad

had bought him a state-of
the-art computer.

Oh, mom!

Come on, boys, it's a nice day
why don't you play in the park?

No. We're okay playing this.

Okay, I'm off shopping.
You be all right by yourselves?

Yes, mom. Bye, mom.

Bye, Mrs. Higgins.

I won't be long.

[Door opens, closes]

- Wanna see something?
- What?

- What are they?
- Girls with no clothes on.

BEN: Sean had found the magazines
under his mom and dad's bed.

The Swedish student
was one thing, but

this was something
completely different.

The smiles on the girls' faces
and the total lack of shyness

about what they were showing the
camera was so confusing for me.

I had never seen the female part
up close and in so much detail.

I guess I imagined
something neater,

like a smooth hole drilled
into a piece of wood.

The sort of hole where you
might place a wooden peg.

But the reality was much more
sexually aggressive.

It was hard to imagine that
my teacher, Mrs. booth,

had one under her skirt
that looked just like it.

- [Door opens]
- Mom!

Forgot my purse.

Hey, what have you two been up to?

BEN: After that, Sean's mom
always thought we were gay.

What will help speed up
the process?

You need to distract yours
elf with a couple of Natalies.

BEN: A Natalie was a term that Sean
had coined for any sexual encounter

that happened with a girl you
weren't in a relationship with.

[Moaning]

[Doorbell]

The term had come from
a girl called Natalie

who lived across the
street from Sean.

- Hello. Is Natalie in?
- Yeah. Natalie!

- Yeah?
- It's for you.

BEN: You see, Sean had
worked out the connection

between the smiling faces
of the girls in the magazines

and the fact that they were naked.

Fifty p.

That's it.

BEN: Natalie became one of the
most popular girls on the street.

PA SYSTEM:
Croissants on special offer.

[Speaking French]

She had massive tits.

[Laughing]

Very funny.

We were only having a laugh.

Who's that?

That's a new kid.

Apparently he's a martial arts expert.

Hey, mate!

Come here.

What's your name?

Brian.

Ben says you know Kung Fu.

Yeah.

- So you reckon you can have me?
- Yeah.

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.

Show us your moves then.

[Exhales]

Grab my arm.

That's not funny.

Hi.

Hi, Ben.

You're not working tonight?

No, I swapped two hours this week.

Is that a pickle sandwich?

Oh, ah, yeah.

Could I have a bite?
I'm starving.

Mmm. Thanks.

- What?
- You got some there.

- Mmm.
- There.

Let me.

Thanks.

BEN: I wanted to freeze time.

I wanted to savour that moment.

To live in that moment for a week.

But I couldn't stop it.

Only slow it.

And before I knew it, she was gone.

After the door closed, I felt like
the last person on earth.

[Chuckling]

What are you doing?

- Jenkins wanted us to go and fill
the shelves. - So here we are.

IIIIEEEE.

Take no notice of him. He's love struck.
He asked Sharon out today.

You did?
What did she say?

She said "yes."
He's taking her

to the pictures tomorrow night.

Then it's back to mine. I'll need about
half an hour to talk away me face.

And then, she's gonna get some of this.

[Moaning]

BEN: Crush.

It's funny how the same word
for the feeling of attraction

can be used for the feeling
of disappointment.

The Oxford English
dictionary states one

of the meanings for
the word crushed

as "a strong and unreasoning,
but transitory attachment."

TV ANNOUNCER:

I had three crushes when I was young.

The first was an athlete called Zola Budd.

She was 18, and looked like a tomboy
with a small, slender frame.

But it was the fact that Zola Budd
defiantly ran barefoot

that made her so completely
attractive for me.

It was the Los Angeles Olympics
that would go down in history.

In the 3,000 meter
race, Zola Budd

clashed with the
American, Mary Decker.

Budd's heart for the race
was left where Decker fell.

Zola finished seventh.

Ben, it's time for bed now.
You've got school tomorrow.

TV ANNOUNCER: Well, well.
What an upset.

Can somebody tell me something about
the white blood cells? Tim?

Uh, they help fight off bacteria
and germs in the body.

Very well done.

Types...

Of cells.

BEN: The second crush was for
my Biology teacher, Mrs. booth.

Okay, class, who can tell me
something about cells?

BEN: She was a confident woman
whose figure-hugging outfits

hinted at the sexiness
that lay hidden beneath.

I imagined Mrs. booth asking me
to stay behind after school

and showing me the same
thing under her skirt

as the girls I'd seen
in the magazines with Sean.

But the main crush I had was
with a girl called Tanya green.

When I looked at Tanya, I didn't
just see her, I felt her.

MRS. BOOTH: The white blood cells
and red blood cells work together.

[School bell rings]

[Desk tops slamming]

[Mrs. Booth giving
homework instructions]

Oy!

BEN: The next day, Tanya caused a
lot of excitement in the class.

Tanya had broken her arm
falling from a swing,

and her cast had
caused much excitement

amongst the other
kids at the school.

Settle down now, please, class.

That's enough.

BEN: But I saw it differently.

It was the way Tanya
dealt with it.

The way she scratched an itch.

The way it restricted her movements.

The increasing amount
of graffiti that

appeared on it during
its six-week life span.

Would you like to sign it?

Just here.

Thanks.

[Gorilla noises]

Go away!
Stop it!

BEN: On the day the
cast finally came off,

Tanya's arm was covered in hair.

BOY: Go on back to the jungle.

[Crying]

The six weeks without
light had caused

the hair to grow
thick and black.

But while the other kids joked
and called her "monkey,"

it only heightened my
fascination for her.

Don't cry.

You don't have to worry about them.

I think you're beautiful the way you are.

Will you be my girlfriend?

Yes.

BEN: There was a place that
I often went to by myself.

[School bell ringing]

It was just behind the school.

It was close enough to
still hear the screams

and shouts of the kids
playing their games.

But at the same time,
it felt hidden away from them.

I had arranged to meet Tanya there.

Whatcha?

Whatcha?

You wanna kiss me?

BEN:
So this was to be my first kiss.

Yeah.

Hey! Where you going?

I gotta go.
I'll kiss you tomorrow.

- But tomorrow's Saturday.
- Meet me here at 11:00.

BEN: I often came to play around
the school grounds on a Saturday.

The familiar building,
so unfamiliar in its quietness.

Peaceful, as if time had frozen still.

MRS. BOOTH:
It's like the walls of this room.

It keeps the whole building standing.

BEN: Tanya's parents had taken her
on a surprise holiday to America.

They set up home there,
and never returned.

It was the first time my heart
felt the other meaning of crush.

Checkmate.

What's wrong with you?
You normally kick my arse at chess.

Have you met someone?

Well, come on.
Give me the juice.

No, it's nothing really.
Just a girl at work I think is nice.

Nice? Nice what?
Nice rack?

No.

Well, yeah, but nothing like that.

What?
Girlfriend material?

She got small hands?

- What's that got to do with anything?
- Makes your Willy look big.

You're such a loser.

So have you asked her out?

- No. Someone already beat me to it.
- Ahh, she got a boyfriend.

No, but one of the guys at work
asked her out. She said "yes."

They're going to the pictures tonight.

That doesn't mean she fancies him.

She might just like him, and want
someone to go to pictures with.

How many girls have you taken to
the pictures and then snogged?

- Oh, yeah!
- [Screams]

- [Gasps]
- What?

Quite a few.

There you go.

[Beeping noise]

Can I have that?

[Chuckling]

Yeah, yeah, that's right, Rory.

Well, of course I played
professionally, before the injury.

Any day, Rory.

You name the date,
me and my boys'll be there.

All right. Sunday.

Just don't go crying to your mama.

- Ciao.
- Whatever.

Tosser.

Game on.

2,000 Feet jump.

Can't beat it. 3,000, kill ya.

There he is!

So, how'd it go with Sharon?

- Oh, mate!
- So, did ya?

Of course I did.
She loved it.

Couldn't get enough of it.
She went like the

toilet door on a
Bombay shrimp trawler.

- Rack?
- Well, put it this way.

At least you know your kids
will never go hungry.

And?

Like an artist's pocket.

Okay, champs.
Rory Brown.

Manager of Sainsbury's, Islington,

has challenged us to a football
match on Sunday night.

[Everyone groaning]

Finished?

Good.

The reputation of this
supermarket is at stake.

Your reputations, as employees,
are at stake.

This is not just a game of football.

This is what it means to
be a modern-day gladiator!

Now, I want you to think of
me as Russell Crowe.

And you, you're all the other slaves.

And as slaves,
you will play to the death!

For what happens on Sunday night,
will echo through eternity.

Sunday. 8:00 PM Sunny Sports Centre.

You have got to got to be joking, right?

We're gonna get murdered.

[Exhales]

Aaah!

- Hi.
- MAN: All right.

Ah, bollocks!

- Playing on this right wing.
- Like a train, I am.

- Hiya.

MAN: Heads up!

Gather round, Whitechapel.
Whitechapel, gather round.

Okay, chaps, this is it!

That is Islington Sainsbury's over there.

All I can see are a lot of pretty uniforms.

Take a good look at one another.

Why?

Natural-born killers!
Every one of you!

So let's get stuck in there
and settle this! Huh? Huh?

Huh?
[Growling]

[Cheers]

Hey, Barry,
I've got this really great game.

All right, Rory.

Jenkins.

There's some pretty uniforms you boys got.

See you've brought your top team this time.

Looks can be deceiving.

- Well, that's obvious.
- What?

Right. Call.

Heads.
No, tails.

Tails it is.

[Blows whistle] Come along!

RORY: We've got one goal.

All right.
Get in your spaces.

- Ahh!
- Look at that!

[Blows whistle]

[Players shouting]

SHARON: Get it!

Come on, take it, come on!

PLAYER: Come on, after it.

[Cell phone ringing]

I'm playing! I'm playing!
The safe keys

are hanging off,
on the top shelf!

SHARON:
Get it! Get it!

[Spits] What?

Triangles!
Triangles!

- Foul!
- REFEREE: No foul! Play on!

Play on, my ass!

I'm all right!

I'm all right!
I'm all right!

[Blows whistle]
What are you doing?

Grow up.
Forget about the money.

What money?
What are you doing?

What am I doing? I'm talking to
an empty phone is what I'm doing.

'Cause there's a dead man on the
other end of this fucking line!

- I love that film!
- Pachino. Didn't you hear though?

You oughta see the bank job
shootout scene on me plasma screen!

[Blows whistle]

Come on, Whitechapel,
we can still win this.

- JENKINS: Come on, lads!
- Shoot!

- [Shouting]
- Aye! Dipstick!

Sorry!

The ball, the ball,
the ball, the ball!

For the love of God!

[Player shouting]

JENKINS:
Yeah! Finally!

PLAYER: Oh, my lord!
Get a life, dipstick!

Time out, ref.
Time out.

[Blows whistle]

Well, chaps, could be worse.

How could it be worse?
It's 26-nil.

It doesn't matter.

What matters is,
there's less than a minute to play.

And we are not leaving this pitch
until we score a goal!

Matt, get the ball to Ben.

Ben, this is your moment.

I need you.

Get your little legs.

Run up that right flank like
the devil were after you.

I'll be in the centre
waiting for your cross.

Use Barry if you need to.

Matt, stay on my left flank.

I need that cross.

I need that ball

here.

I'll take the shot.

And we, we will share the glory.

- Got it?
- Yeah.

Now let's score a goal!

Come on! Come on!
Come on! Come on!

Come on, boys, come on!

[Blows whistle]

No!

BEN:
I often wonder what it would be like

to spend the rest of my life
with the world on pause.

To live out the rest of my life
between two fractions of a second.

To die of old age,
and then have time continue.

The young me gone,
and a dead old man in my place.

Was I spending too much time
in this frozen world?

It felt safe, untouchable.

But how safe is anyone's world?

[Creaking sound]

Hello?

Anyone there?

[Light buzzing]

BEN: It's funny, but the
last thing I imagined

was that maybe I wasn't the
only one who could stop time.

[Fingers cracking]

Oh, my God!

You all right?

Don't just stand there!
Drive me to the hospital!

- Can you make sure Sharon
gets home all right? - Yeah.

Cheers, mate.

[Laughing]

Right, I'll see
you both tomorrow.

- See ya.
- Bye.

- Thanks.
- Thank you.

I felt that game was
never going to end.

- Matt's face when the ball hit Jenkins.
- Oh, I know.

Do you think he'll be okay?

It was ego more than anything, I'd say.

It's probably none of my business, but,

are you and Matt seeing each other?

No. We went to the cinema the other night,
but just as friends.

Hmm.

Why?
What has Matt said?

He said he slept with you.

- So you didn't? - No, of course not!
- What do you take me for?

Sorry.

Did he say if I was any good?

I think it was the best sex
he's never had.

[Chuckles]

So you don't have a boyfriend?

No. We split about six months ago.

He went off to university
in the states and

it became impossible to see each other.

And you?
Do you have a girlfriend?

We broke up a few weeks ago.

I'm sorry.
How are you doing?

Better.

So how long have you been
at the supermarket?

'Bout two years.

Did you get to college?

I was doing PT Therapy,
but I dropped out.

Why?

It wasn't me. And besides,
I needed to start earning money.

What are you saving for?

Putting myself through evening classes.

Yeah? Studying...

Spanish.

Spanish?

Yeah. What's wrong with that?

N... Nothing. I just
wasn't expecting it.

So what can you say?

Mmm...

Tu equipo de futbol
es una puta mierda.

Which means?

It means your football team is shit.

26-nil.

So why Spanish?

I've lived here all my life.

I've worked at the supermarket
for two years and,

even though it's happening slow,

I just feel that my life's
ticking away a second at a time.

I thought that Spanish
would be one way that I'd

be able to find a job that
would involve travel.

Like being an air hostess or teaching
English at Spanish-speaking schools.

I've always dreamt of travel into
far-off places... Like South America.

To places where the sun
kisses every morning.

But more than that,
I wanna be able

to talk to people about their
lives and about their dreams.

Silly, really.

No, it's not.

That's your dream.

Knowing what you want
is half the battle.

Most people go through their whole
lives not knowing what they want.

It's easy to find if you know
what you're looking for.

So what is it that
you're looking for?

I've always wanted
to be a painter.

Maybe have my work hung
in a gallery one day.

I've always wanted
to meet a painter.

Why?

Don't know.

I think it might be
something to do with

their ability to see
beauty in everything.

To then capture it, and hang it
on a wall for all to see.

I find it romantic.

Well, this is me.

Number 34.

Thirty-four.

It's on the top floor.

Nice.

Adios.

Hasta luego.

Night, Ben.

BEN: That first kiss.

I've always made such a mess of it.

[Knocking]

Come!

Hiya. I just wanted to know
whether you were all right.

Oh, yes, yes.
I'm fine.

'Cause it looked really
painful last night.

Oh, no.
I've had worse than this.

And the hospital said you'd be okay?

Ah, you know. They said I'd live.

Are you sure you're all right?

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Do you know?
I've almost forgot it happened.

I really can't feel a thing!

I'm thinking of having
a party on Saturday.

You know, cheer everybody up.

Sure you'll all be there.
Won't you, Sharon?

Um, yeah.

Great.

- Hiya.
- Whatcha?

Thanks for walking me
home last night.

That's all right.
Thanks for sharing your dream with me.

So have you heard the party rumour?

No.

Jenkins' birthday on Saturday.
He's throwing a party.

We've all got to be there apparently.

Oh.

Will you be my date?

MATT: Sharon?

It's my lunch break.
Can you relieve me?

[Spanish]

So, will you be my date?

Yeah.

Great.

PA SYSTEM:
Shelf stacker to aisle ten, please.

Can we have a shelf stacker
to aisle ten?

Steven, if you're in the shop,
can you report to aisle ten?

- It's your lunch break.
- No, it's not.

- It is. It's your lunch break
- I don't want one.

Hama-Vama!

[Knocking]

Come.

You wanted to see us?

Take a chair.

Not there! Here!

Now, we were a bit unlucky
last night, chaps.

But to lighten the mood and
to celebrate my birthday,

I'm throwing a party at my
house on Saturday night,

and you're all invited!

Good!

Now, no birthday party would be
complete without a surprise stripper.

And I want one of you
to organize it. Ben.

Me?

Yes. Here's 200 quid.

That should be plenty for some
top-shelf entertainment.

I'll put the details on the
staff board this afternoon.

Well, get going then.

[Laughing]

So, where are you gonna find a stripper?

I don't know.
But I know a man who will.

So, your boss has given
you 200 quid to get

a surprise stripper
for his own birthday.

I like him!
Yeah, I'll help on one condition.

- What's that?
- I can come to the party.

Shouldn't be a problem.

Cool. Right, let's
find you a stripper, eh?

♪ You know it, you love it
you want it, you got it ♪

♪ You know it, you love it
you got it ♪

♪ Motherfuckers wanna get with me
lay with me, love with me ♪

[Chuckling]

Two halves, please.

♪ All right ♪

What was the other one?

Two halves.

Oh, yeah.

I just found the world's
stupidest barman.

- Sean, I'm not sure about this.
- No, it's gonna be fine.

♪ Come on, let's set it off
come on, let's set it off ♪

That's three quid, mate.

♪ Come on, let's set it off
come on, let's set it off ♪

♪ Come on, let's set it off
come on, let's set it off ♪

♪ Come on, let's set it off
come on, let's set it off ♪

- ♪ Come on, let's set it off
- [Gun clicking]

♪ Come on, let's set it off
come on, let's set it off ♪

♪ Oh, all right ♪

♪ Motherfuckers wanna get with me
lay with me, love with me ♪

♪ All right ♪

♪ Come on, let's set it off
come on, let's set it off ♪

Yeah!

- How much?
- A quid.

Each.

I was, uh, wondering if you could help us.

Um, it's his boss's birthday on Saturday,

and we were looking for someone who
could come and do a surprise, uh, strip.

I'm busy on Saturday.

Oh, um, well, do you know anyone
else who might be available?

I know one.
But she's very expensive.

That's cool.
Is she here?

No. She only does private venues.

She's gorgeous.
Top of the line, you see.

[Sharon's dreamy voice]
Hiya, Ben.

Will you be my date?

- Ben!
- Huh?

- 200.
- What?

200 for the stripper.

Oh.

Don't worry, love, she's class.

- Okay.
- Great.

Two tickets to Pittsburgh!

BEN: It was now my fourth
straight week without sleep.

I had slowly stopped
thinking about Suzy

and had dragged myself
into the present.

The extra eight hours
of my life had

done nothing to slow
the effect of time.

The minutes flew into hours,
the hours into days.

And the days joined the fast
rushing river of time.

The bad news is that time flies.

The good news is that you're the pilot.

Most of my shifts were now spent
thinking about Sharon.

I drew her endlessly.
Over and over.

Her pale, milky skin.
Her delicate frame.

In her eyes, I could see the world.

I thought about Sharon escaping the
life-sapping neons of the supermarket...

Travelling to South America,

pursuing her dreams.

I thought about her asking
me to go with her.

Both sharing in our dreams.

Her love of people,
and my love of painting them.

- You off home?
- Yeah.

You still wanna be my date for
the party tomorrow night then?

Yeah, of course.

Will you come by and pick me up?

Yeah.

8:00?

- Yeah, 8:00.
- Okay. See you tomorrow.

BEN:
Sharon had broken the spell.

For the first time in weeks, I slept.

I slept right through to
the following afternoon.

[Knocking]

Mmm. Yeah?

MAN:
There's a call for you, Ben.

- Hello?
- MAN: Hello, is this Ben Willis?

Yeah.

My name is Alex Prout,
from the Prout Gallery.

I saw some examples of your work
at the university yesterday.

Y-you did?

Yes. And I'd be very interested in
putting on a show of your latest works.

Hello?

Um, ah, yeah, yeah.
I would love to.

Great. Why don't you bring some
more examples of your work

down to my gallery next Monday?
Say 10:00?

Okay. Thank you.

No. Thank you, Ben!

[Whispering] Bugger off.
You're the talent.

[Laughing]

[Tone]

Better get ready for the party.

♪♪ [Rock]

♪ Jerk it, jerk it
jerk it, baby ♪

♪ Jerk it and don't be lazy ♪

♪ One more time now ♪

♪ Jerk it it's all right ♪

♪ Jerk it, jerk it, baby ♪

♪ Hey, hear what I say now ♪

♪ Jerk it it's all right ♪

♪ And don't be lazy ♪

♪ Hey, hey hey, hey ♪

♪ Snap you fingers
in time with the beat ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, it's all right
come on, baby ♪

♪ I'm in your arms
nice and easy ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, baby, baby
it's all right ♪

♪ You got to connect your body
have a little control ♪

♪ My, my, it's all right
come on, baby ♪

♪ Turn it slow 'cause
you're doing it so ♪

♪ My, my, baby, baby
now what I say ♪

♪ Come on, baby ♪

♪ Dancing's good
for the young and old ♪

♪ Yeah, baby, baby
it's all right ♪

♪ Come on, baby ♪

♪ Take it real easy, don't
you get too bold no, no ♪

♪ Come on now, do that ♪

♪ Jerk it, it's all right
jerk it, jerk it, baby ♪

♪ Hey, hey hear what I say now ♪

♪ Jerk it, it's all right
and don't be a baby ♪

♪ What you say, child
jerk it, jerk it, baby ♪

♪ Now, now, baby
jerk it, jerk it, baby ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, baby ♪

♪ Jerk it, jerk it, baby ♪

♪ Jerk it, jerk it, baby ♪

♪ No, no, baby ♪

♪ Take it easy, baby ♪

[Doorbell]

- SHARON: Hello?
- Hey, it's Ben.

Hi, Ben, I'll be right down.

Hiya.

You look lovely.

Thanks. You too.

Are you okay?

I had some great news today.

What?

There's a gallery
interested in showing my work.

Ben, that's fantastic!

Look at you.
You're beaming inside out.

Wow. You're on your way.

Well, come on.
Let's go and celebrate.

♪♪ [Rock]

[Chatting, laughing]

[Man, woman laughing]

We can leave if you want.

Welcome!

Hello, mate.

Oy.

- Ben, this is, ah...
- Katrine.

- Katrink.
- Katrine!

Katrine. Ben.
This is Sharon. Sean.

I've heard a lot about you.

- Nice to meet you.
- Very sweet.

Hi.

Oh, no.

Hi, Ben.

- Hi.
- How are you?

- Uh, good, good. And you?
- Thanks.

Suzy, this is Sharon.

- Nice to meet you.
- And you.

- What are you doing here? - It's
Steve's brother's birthday.

What, Jenkins?

Yeah. He's Steve's older brother.
Do you know him?

Yeah. He's our boss.

- You're working at Sainsbury'
- Yeah, I work the night shift.

That's great.

Well, I'd better get back.

- It was good to see you.
- You too.

- Nice to meet you.
- You too.

You all right?

No, that's disgusting.
No, sorry.

[Indistinct]

[Music stops]

♪♪ [Rock]

[Everyone shouts]

[Giggles]

[Cheers, shouts]

Isn't it great, your brother's face!

MAN:
Come on, Jenkins, you rotten git!

MAN:
Kon-A-Nichi-Wa!

Yeah!

Oh, no!

[Cheering]

- Natalie!
- Sean?

Who's Natalie?

It's a long story.

Well, your act's grown leaps
and bounds since the garage.

- God, how long ago was that?
- Uh...

Will you, ah...
Will you stay for a drink?

Yeah, I'd love to.

Is this the queue for the loo?

Sharon!

Thanks.
Happy Birthday.

Thanks.

So, you wanna come up to my bedroom?

Eat some popcorn?
Shag?

No.

Why? What's the matter?
Don't you like popcorn?

Barry's gonna do a stunt!

Barry's gonna do a stunt! Barry's
gonna do a stunt! Everyone!

No, but seriously though, Sharon.

I always thought that one day
you and me might...

Are you wearing eyeliner?

Hey, Ben.

Hey.

We really made a mess
of things, didn't we?

Wasn't that bad.

I just wanted to say that
I'm sorry about everything.

I know I never really gave
you a chance to make me happy.

You can't rely on other people
to make you happy, Suzy.

I know!

Is that you?

Yeah. Jungle Survival Course, Mexico.

But enough about me.

You.

You!

You look

gorgeous tonight, Sharon.

[Gagging]

I still think about
you all the time, Ben.

Why are you telling me this?

Have you seen Ben?

EVERYONE:
Five! Four!

Three! Two!

One! Go!

No.

♪ Aye, aye, aye, aye ♪

♪ Feels like fire ♪

♪ I'm so in love with you ♪

♪ Dreams are like angels ♪

♪ They keep bad at bay
bad at bay ♪

BEN: You can speed it up,
you can slow it down.

You can even freeze a moment.

But you can't be rewind time.

You can't undo what is done.

I thought about what she'd seen.

I thought about what she hadn't seen.

I thought about how I could explain.

But the more I thought about it,
the more I knew

nothing I could say would make
her anger go away.

How long could I just wait there

delaying the inevitable?

I had sat there with the world
on pause for two days

and still no solution had come.

I thought about the night
at the sports centre

when I'd seen a person move
when time was frozen.

If other people could move
within the frozen world,

then maybe it was something
I could bring Sharon in on.

It was the best I could come up with.

[Fingers cracking]

[Everyone cheering]

Sharon?

BARRY: I'm definitely winded.

BEN: I had forgotten how
fast everything was moving.

[Doorbell]

SHARON: Hello?

Sharon, it's me.

[Speaker disconnects]

Hello?

♪♪ [Opera "Casta Diva"]

[Doorbell]

BEN: This felt familiar.

I tried to explain that Suzy was an ex.

And she had attacked me
when my guard was down.

Sharon had seen the wrong second
of a two-second story.

But she wasn't listening.

♪♪ [Opera continues]

PA SYSTEM: Member of cleaning
staff to aisle three, please.

Cleaning staff to aisle three quickly.

- What language is that?
- Russian.

- Do you speak Russian?
- No.

Can I get it back on to English?

Yep? Can I help you?

I've got an appointment with Alex Prout.

Yeah, that's me.

Hi. Ben Willis.

You called me about my work.

There must be some mistake.
I've never heard of you.

You didn't call me?

[Sighs]

Bastards.

Ah, sorry.
Someone's played a joke on me.

Well, since you're here,
let me take a look.

- These are yours?
- Yeah.

You got any more?

Yeah, I've got hundreds.

Can you bring them by?

Sure.

Why don't you make an
appointment with Lucy.

Proper one this time.
And we'll take it from there.

Yeah.

Ben.

Ben.
All right, Ben.

[Chatting]

Well done.
Wonderful show.

Thanks.

- I'm Anna. Anna Shapiro.
- Ben Willis. Nice to meet you.

I've got a gallery in New York.

I'd be interested to talk
to you about your next show.

My next show?

Yes. Any ideas of what
you might like to do?

Um...

I'd like to go and paint in South America.

Well, that sounds wonderfully romantic.

Here. Take my card.

Call me.

Well done.

Hey.

Hey.

Congratulations.
This is...

So great.

Thanks.

- How have you been?
- Good.

I haven't seen you at work.

No, I've got a job at a travel agent's.

So you're one step closer to your dream.

Listen, I'm sorry about
what happened at the party.

Whether you saw the second after
or not, it doesn't matter.

I've learned it's what you do with
every single second that counts.

Shh. It's okay.

This tells me so much more
than you could ever say.

It's snowing outside.

Do you trust me?

Why?

I need to know.

What happened?

I need to show you something.

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 a minute,

you might miss it.

♪ Weightless
in her empty house ♪

♪ Nothing's like she said
it would be ♪

♪ The snow fell
and she walked out ♪

♪ Through the streets ♪

♪ Outside of me ♪

♪ Now she ♪

She's got a very twisted mind ♪

♪ Now she ♪

♪ She's calling me away ♪

♪ Push and pull
'cause there's no time ♪

♪ To make amends
for all that's been said ♪

♪ Remember now
the words she said ♪

♪ It doesn't seem to put it a
in its right place ♪

♪ Now she ♪

♪ She's got a very twisted mind ♪

♪ Now she ♪

[Men shouting]

Barry! Barry! Barry! Barry!

Barry! Ooh! Oh!

[Cheering]