8 Minutes Idle

Stars: Tom Hughes. Ophelia Lovibond, Paul Kaye, Montserrat Lombard, Luke Newberry, Antonia Thomas, Pippa Haywood, Jack Ashton

Director: Mark Simon Hewis

A sort-of-romcom of some charm, but also much ennui, centred on an ailing call centre in Bristol. Dan (Hughes), kicked out by his East-Ender mother who has just won the Lottery - the disparity in their accents is somewhat disconcerting - but had her ticket pinched by her estranged husband.

So homeless Dan, who lusts after pretty, dark-eyed co-worker Teri ((Lovibond, a sort of poor man's Felicity Jones) is forced to spend his nights at the office, while depositing John, his ginger cat, into the crawlspace above.

But office boss Alice (Lombard), a predatory, domineering type, has her eyes on Dan in more ways than one and sacks Lovibond to nip the young couple's embryo romance in the bud.

Although there are moments in between its barrage of swearing and toilet scenes, the film has the air of something that needs more work done on all fronts - especially dialogue - to bring its assets to the fore. Hughes is just OK in the lead and only Lovibond of the several office members brings much conviction to her role.

David Quinlan

UK 2012. UK Distributor: ifeatures (BBC Films). Colour (unspecified).
86 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 2, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 2.

Review date: 10 Feb 2014