An unlikely duo unite against the odds.
From the production company who brought you Edge Of Darkness and Made In Dagenham, BBC Films brings us Borrowed Time. A brand new dark but witty film based on friendship and life in the East End of London.
Director Jules Bishop (who also wrote the script for this film) brings a story that follows Kevin (Theo Barklem – The Inbetweeners Movie, The Fades) who is battling to live day by day. The only family he has is his sister, Becky (Juliet Oldfield – Bedlam, Top Boy) and younger nephew who he cares deeply for, however she is still left feeling angry with him for selling their late Grandmother’s clock. And tells him to go and get it back straight away! As he tries to get it back, he notices that he needs money to get it back. As he stands outside the shop, he bumps into drug dealer, Nigel (Warren Brown – Inside Men, Luther) who offers him a job so he can have the money and get the clock back. But it isn’t that simple. As a stranger takes the drugs without paying him the money, Kevin ends up being a man on the run. As he asks his only four friends for help they suggest that he robs an old man’s house who lives on his own, so with thinking things through, he goes along with it. However, he ends up getting caught by the old man, Philip (Phil Davis – Being Human, Whitechapel), and then an unlikely friendship begins between the pair.
At first their feelings towards each other is very bitter and very dull, but as the story gets more in depth we learn why Philip is a very lonely old man and why he collects dead stuffed animals and makes his own museum out of them. As the film continues, Kevin and Philip both join forces to help each other and to help get his late Grandmother’s clock back and help to win the war with Nigel.
This bittersweet comedy easily shows us the difference between two completely different people who are also in many ways the same as each other. Both lonely; both have nothing going for themselves, and the only person they can rely on is each other for friendship and companionship.
What I found interesting about this film when I attended the press screening, is the struggle that director, Jules Bishop, had in getting it done and released. At the premiere before the film was shown, he said: “This film is very much based in the East End of London. We had such short cash so everything was basically tough however, we did end up doing it in the end. Thanks to Microwave Productions, we ended up getting it released.”
For me this film is something that you might end up loving and hating at the same time. What makes the film is the bitter comedy between Philip and Kevin. It’s very much like Steptoe and Son… but the other way around. For a film to be shot on a low budget scheme, it does do really well and is very heart warming. The film was shot all around East London, Stratford area and for those who live in these areas it could bring a lot of excitement.
Borrowed Time will be out on the 13th September 2013.
