Late Night Shopping (2001)

Late Night Shopping is one of those FilmFour productions that i've always meant to watch but i've kept missing it.
I like it. It's greatly remarkable- it's just a pleasant film about the last whispers of being young before being old.
The film centres around 3guys and a girl who have crummy jobs- one works in a call centre, one stacks shelves in a supermarket, another is a hospital porter. These are all jobs we can identify with because we've all done at least one. I've done 2 out of those 3 and I am in no rush to return to either. Though I can think back and look back fondly on certain aspects- and as much I hated going in everyday- they were never bad enough for me to quit and that basically sums up these jobs - situations aren't  bad enough for you to quit.
So all these guys have crap jobs but too make matters worse- they all work the night shift at their respective places if work but they all meet regularly at this cafe and talk shit and discuss their problems. One guy, Sean hasn't seen his girlfriend in weeks because she works the dayshift and doesn't know if she's still loving with him. Penny fancies a girl he works with but can't ask her out because he has 'porno senses'. As you can tell this pretty light, whimsical kinda stuff bit I don't feel like it suffers for that. It's not too long at maybe just less than 80mins and on a list of expectations from a typical FilmFour production- it ticks most boxes. Twentysomething British cast- check.  Stylized original soundtrack- check. No one's doing drugs but they are drinking a lot of coffee.
It was made just over 10years ago, when it seemed obvious that James Lance was going to be a big star. The man should have the sort of career that Aiden Gilllen has. So bright and charming. Admittedly he did turn up in Benson but he should be doing HBO joints. Anyway he's great here as a cocky morally-vacant serial womaniser. Kate Ashfield plays the spiky tempered girl in the group. Another actress from 10years ago who seemed on the fast-track. You might say her character is under developed but you don't really notice. You like spending time with these characters. They're very calming to watch.
It's a shame that Saul Metzstein and the writer Jack Lothian haven't made much else. (Lothian is quite a prolific British tv writer) Metzstein has a warm fresh visual style even shooting at night and in factories and supermarkets and Lothian obviously has a knack for dialogue.
I mean I can see why Late Night Shopping didn't set the world alight... it doesn't have the most exciting premise and even I would struggle to make the journey to the cinema to see it (I live across the road from a cinema.) but it doesn't dispute the fact it's a charming and fun 80mins to spend on tv or DVD.


I watched Late Night Shopping (2001) on DVD via LoveFilm.
My 2011 in Movies continues with The White Ribbon (2009)...