LATE NIGHT SHOPPING

UK, 2009, 92 minutes, Colour.
Luke de Woolfson, James Lance, Kate Ashfield, Enzo Cilenti, Heike Makatsch, Shauna Mac Donald, Sienna Guillory.
Directed by Saul Metzstein.

Late Night Shopping is a small-budget British film about what the Americans call slackers. The film was made in Glasgow, focusing on four friends who work nightshift jobs and who meet at an all-night café. Their jobs range from hospital worker to shelf stacker, call centre operator and assembly line worker. They each have tangled relationships – and also betrayal of each other.

The film shows glimpses of their work, their lives. However, they are not particularly interesting characters – and some of their behaviour is alienating.

After various clashes, difficulties, talk-out of problems, they finally reconcile.

The film was an example of small-budget-making at the beginning of the 21st century in England – the stories and characters are ephemeral, but they reflect something of the atmosphere of the times.

1.The title? The nightshift workers? Their gathering together at the all-night café? Their friendship, betrayals?

2.The Glasgow setting, the city, day, night, hospitals, supermarkets, electronics factories, call centres?

3.The musical background, the car radio stuck on the 1980s? The musical score?

4.The discussions amongst the friends? Their personalities? Sean and his work in the hospital, the man having a heart attack, the inability to open the door for the ambulance? His pining for Madeline? Suzy, her visit to the hospital, her boyfriend in the coma? Her relationship with Sean, the seduction? Vincent, working in the store, his finding Madeline, his relationship with her, his knowing the truth? Lenny, the call centre, Gail working at the call centre, his shyness? Vincent, talking with Gail, Lenny’s reaction? The visit to the hospital, Vincent confessing the truth to Sean? Sean’s anger, the fight?

5.Sean, looking for Madeline, her leaving her flat? His going to the town, Jodie, Lenny and Vincent with him? Finding Madeline and Gail?

6.Vincent, his confession to Madeline, owning up to his friendship with Sean? Madeline and her not wanting to be with Sean? Jodie, her friendship? Moving the group towards the pier?

7.The confessions, the standing at the sunrise – and the dark glasses because of their difficulties with the sun after the nightshift?

8.The meaning of the reconciliation? Hope or not? The challenge to their values and stances? Their future?