Cashpoint

Cashpoint is another term for an automated teller machine. The term is mainly, though not exclusively, used throughout the United Kingdom. Now that we all know what the title of the dramatic comedy Cashpoint is referring to, here’s what the short film is about. Camille (Ani Nelson) is on the phone with her sister. Camille mentions that she’ll be stopping by for some money. The sister asks what happened to the money their mother gave Camille.

Camille proceeds to tell the story of her date last night. She meets Craig (Kadeem Pearse) for dinner at a nice, little restaurant. They are enjoying each other’s company, and when it comes time to pay, Craig hands the waitress his credit card. She informs him that this location only takes cash. Craig tells Camille that this turn of events isn’t a problem and he’s just going to run to the nearest cashpoint. To say more would be to ruin the fun of this 8-minute film.

“…Craig hands the waitress his credit card…this location only takes cash…he’s just going to run to the nearest cashpoint.”

I understand that comedy is highly subjective. With that in mind, you should know that Cashpoint only has a single punchline to it, at the end no less. For this reason, there will be a few viewers that aren’t amused by the movie. That is all well and good.

For me, I adored Cashpoint. For starters, Nelson and Pearse have fantastic chemistry and suit their characters well. They are aided immeasurably by writer-director Monique Needham’s script. In under 10-minutes character relations are well established, inner lives are revealed, and the ending left me in hysterics. The dialogue is natural and sounds realistic. Craig’s confusion over why when a person is asked to talk about themselves, work is always where they begin, makes sense.

Needham’s direction is also quite assured. The intimate close-ups during dinner suggest how well the couple is getting to know each other. The editing shows the passage of time without confusion, and again, the ending is simply brilliant.

Cashpoint delights and charms in its short runtime. The characters feel alive, the actors are great, the script is witty, and the direction is excellent. What more could you want?