★★☆☆☆The latest offering to emerge from Bristol's iFeatures micro-budget funding scheme, which also saw Polish-born director Katarzyna Klimkiewicz's impressive Flying Blind (2012) secure a UK theatrical release last year, Mark Simon Hewis' debut feature 8 Minutes Idle (2012) (based on a novel of the same name by Matt Thorne) also had the added backing of funds from Kickstarter to help ensure it managed the same distribution pathway. Unfortunately, Hewis' amiable twentysomething drama doesn't quite impress in the the same way as its predecessor, despite an appealingly straight-faced performance from lead actor Tom Hughes and the abstract, sometimes almost Lynchian comedic tone.
- 6/2/2014
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
Cemetery Junction's Tom Hughes is the call centre idler who ends up living in the call centre where he works in this quirky adaptation of Matt Thorne's award-winning novel. When he's kicked out of the family home, slacker Dan has no choice but to doss down with his cat at the Bristol office where he works. The future doesn't look bright, but lovely colleague Teri (Ophelia Lovibond) offers a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
- 5/6/2014
- Sky Movies
Arriving in cinemas and on demand today, Mark Simon Hewis’ 8 Minutes Idle promises to be a charming comedy perfectly timed for the Valentine’s festivities over the weekend, with an element of office romance thrown in for good measure.
Following the rather brilliant first trailer we saw last month, we’ve now got an exclusive new clip from the film to share in tandem with its release, teasing a little of the comedy we can expect. Antonia Thomas’ retorts, in particular, are just genius.
8 Minutes Idle is a contemporary comedy adapted from the award‐winning novel by Bristol author Matt Thorne. This is the story of Dan, early 20s, who gets kicked out of his home by his mother and not knowing who to turn to ends up packing up his most prized possessions and his cat and moves into his office, a Call Centre.
Tom Hughes (Cemetery Junction) leads a stellar cast,...
Following the rather brilliant first trailer we saw last month, we’ve now got an exclusive new clip from the film to share in tandem with its release, teasing a little of the comedy we can expect. Antonia Thomas’ retorts, in particular, are just genius.
8 Minutes Idle is a contemporary comedy adapted from the award‐winning novel by Bristol author Matt Thorne. This is the story of Dan, early 20s, who gets kicked out of his home by his mother and not knowing who to turn to ends up packing up his most prized possessions and his cat and moves into his office, a Call Centre.
Tom Hughes (Cemetery Junction) leads a stellar cast,...
- 2/14/2014
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
This British indie romcom suggests love in the workplace can be a tricky business, especially if you secretly live there
• Watch the trailer here
Matt Thorne's witty 90s novel Eight Minutes Idle has been reheated as a low-budget British indie: the result is a well-intentioned disappointment. Tom Hughes plays Dan, a twentysomething guy who has to move out of his parents' house and finds himself secretly squatting in the ceiling crawl-space above the toilets in a drab call centre where he is precariously employed – and falling in love with beautiful co-worker Teri (Ophelia Lovibond). The story is a potentially interesting satirical commentary on the subject of how workplaces are where we invest our entire identity, and in these times of economic trial, the film's ideas are no less relevant. But the "office" comedy doesn't exactly raise its game to match Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and the acting and...
• Watch the trailer here
Matt Thorne's witty 90s novel Eight Minutes Idle has been reheated as a low-budget British indie: the result is a well-intentioned disappointment. Tom Hughes plays Dan, a twentysomething guy who has to move out of his parents' house and finds himself secretly squatting in the ceiling crawl-space above the toilets in a drab call centre where he is precariously employed – and falling in love with beautiful co-worker Teri (Ophelia Lovibond). The story is a potentially interesting satirical commentary on the subject of how workplaces are where we invest our entire identity, and in these times of economic trial, the film's ideas are no less relevant. But the "office" comedy doesn't exactly raise its game to match Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and the acting and...
- 2/13/2014
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
This British indie romcom suggests love in the workplace can be a tricky business, especially if you secretly live there
• Watch the trailer here
Matt Thorne's witty 90s novel Eight Minutes Idle has been reheated as a low-budget British indie: the result is a well-intentioned disappointment. Tom Hughes plays Dan, a twentysomething guy who has to move out of his parents' house and finds himself secretly squatting in the ceiling crawl-space above the toilets in a drab call centre where he is precariously employed – and falling in love with beautiful co-worker Teri (Ophelia Lovibond). The story is a potentially interesting satirical commentary on the subject of how workplaces are where we invest our entire identity, and in these times of economic trial, the film's ideas are no less relevant. But the "office" comedy doesn't exactly raise its game to match Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and the acting and...
• Watch the trailer here
Matt Thorne's witty 90s novel Eight Minutes Idle has been reheated as a low-budget British indie: the result is a well-intentioned disappointment. Tom Hughes plays Dan, a twentysomething guy who has to move out of his parents' house and finds himself secretly squatting in the ceiling crawl-space above the toilets in a drab call centre where he is precariously employed – and falling in love with beautiful co-worker Teri (Ophelia Lovibond). The story is a potentially interesting satirical commentary on the subject of how workplaces are where we invest our entire identity, and in these times of economic trial, the film's ideas are no less relevant. But the "office" comedy doesn't exactly raise its game to match Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and the acting and...
- 2/13/2014
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
As part of an initiative called iFeatures, where three movies were made on modest-sized budgets in Bristol, England, 8 Minutes Idle is the final of the trio of films (Flying Blind and In the Dark Half being the other too) to finally make its way to cinemas. Though director Mark Simon Hewis’ debut production had hit a snag when the film’s initial distributor went bust – fortunately cash raised by members of the British public and celebrities such as Stephen Merchant and Dom Joly, have ensured this film will get a theatrical release after all – and given the creativity and jocular charm to this low-budget piece, that can only be a good thing.
Based on the novel by Matt Thorne, we delve into the idle existence of Dan (Tom Hughes) – a twenty-something who spends his days working in a call centre, and his evenings contending with a dysfunctional and erratic mother,...
Based on the novel by Matt Thorne, we delve into the idle existence of Dan (Tom Hughes) – a twenty-something who spends his days working in a call centre, and his evenings contending with a dysfunctional and erratic mother,...
- 2/10/2014
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Based on the award-winning novel of the same name, 8 Minutes Idle is on the cusp of release, heading into cinemas and available on demand on Valentine’s Day.
The Bristol-shot and -set comedy sees Tom Hughes (Cemetery Junction, About Time) take the lead as the young Dan, who gets kicked out of his home and is forced to move into his office. And with the film’s release right around the corner, the very promising first trailer has launched online.
8 Minutes Idle is a contemporary comedy adapted from the award‐winning novel by Bristol author Matt Thorne. This is the story of Dan, early 20s, who gets kicked out of his home by his mother and not knowing who to turn to ends up packing up his most prized possessions and his cat and moves into his office, a Call Centre.
The film follows Dan and Teri’s attempts at romance,...
The Bristol-shot and -set comedy sees Tom Hughes (Cemetery Junction, About Time) take the lead as the young Dan, who gets kicked out of his home and is forced to move into his office. And with the film’s release right around the corner, the very promising first trailer has launched online.
8 Minutes Idle is a contemporary comedy adapted from the award‐winning novel by Bristol author Matt Thorne. This is the story of Dan, early 20s, who gets kicked out of his home by his mother and not knowing who to turn to ends up packing up his most prized possessions and his cat and moves into his office, a Call Centre.
The film follows Dan and Teri’s attempts at romance,...
- 1/22/2014
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Exclusive: Kickstarter fundraising paves the way for theatrical release after Revolver’s shuttering.
Following the collapse of its distributor in March, Bristol-set indie comedy 8 Minutes Idle has now secured a 2014 Valentine’s Day release in the UK thanks to fundraising on Kickstarter.
The film, a dark romantic comedy based on a novel by Matt Thorne (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Blincoe), was initially set to be distributed by Revolver, but the company’s collapse in March shortly before the planned release date left the project’s theatrical release plans in limbo.
The producers decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise £20,000 with a promise of matched funding from Creative England, in order to fund the P&A costs for a theatrical release (the film will get a TV airing via its BBC Films deal).
Two weeks and six days into the campaign, 277 national and international donations meant that they surpassed their target by £1,000, and 8 Minutes...
Following the collapse of its distributor in March, Bristol-set indie comedy 8 Minutes Idle has now secured a 2014 Valentine’s Day release in the UK thanks to fundraising on Kickstarter.
The film, a dark romantic comedy based on a novel by Matt Thorne (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Blincoe), was initially set to be distributed by Revolver, but the company’s collapse in March shortly before the planned release date left the project’s theatrical release plans in limbo.
The producers decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise £20,000 with a promise of matched funding from Creative England, in order to fund the P&A costs for a theatrical release (the film will get a TV airing via its BBC Films deal).
Two weeks and six days into the campaign, 277 national and international donations meant that they surpassed their target by £1,000, and 8 Minutes...
- 12/18/2013
- ScreenDaily
Plans afoot to resurrect British indie comedy after its release was derailed by the demise of Revolver Entertainment
• RoboCop statue to guard Detroit after successful Kickstarter campaign
• Spike Lee crowdfunds film project on Kickstarter
The makers of a new British indie comedy stuck in limbo after its distributors went bankrupt have turned to crowdfunding in an effort to secure a release on Valentine's Day 2014.
Described as a "darkly romantic comedy that follows the perils and traumas of your first job", 8 Minutes Idle is directed by Mark Simon Hewis, written by Matt Thorne – from whose novel it was adapted – and Nicholas Blincoe, and stars Tom Hughes and Ophelia Lovibond. It was produced as part of the UK Film Council's microbudget iFeatures scheme, securing one of three places after defeating more than 500 rival applicants. The film was originally scheduled to hit cinemas in May 2012, but the collapse of distributors Revolver two...
• RoboCop statue to guard Detroit after successful Kickstarter campaign
• Spike Lee crowdfunds film project on Kickstarter
The makers of a new British indie comedy stuck in limbo after its distributors went bankrupt have turned to crowdfunding in an effort to secure a release on Valentine's Day 2014.
Described as a "darkly romantic comedy that follows the perils and traumas of your first job", 8 Minutes Idle is directed by Mark Simon Hewis, written by Matt Thorne – from whose novel it was adapted – and Nicholas Blincoe, and stars Tom Hughes and Ophelia Lovibond. It was produced as part of the UK Film Council's microbudget iFeatures scheme, securing one of three places after defeating more than 500 rival applicants. The film was originally scheduled to hit cinemas in May 2012, but the collapse of distributors Revolver two...
- 11/26/2013
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
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