Borrowed Time

Borrowed Time is a micro budget film written and directed by Jules Bishop.

Theo Barklem-Biggs is Kevin a nerdy wimpy teenager in the London estates prone to some petty thieving. He has fallen out with his sister for stealing her clock and exchanged it at a pawnbroker for some cash. He also got into problems with a local criminal, Ninja Nigel (Warren Brown) who he owes money to due to a rigged deal.

Kevin needs money to get the clock back and sort himself out with Ninja Nigel who is getting menacing. When Kevin tries to rob curmudgeonly pensioner Philip (Phil Davis) he strikes up a reluctant and spiky friendship, especially as Philip comes after him with a blunderbuss and quoting Dirty Harry lines.

Philip is lonely living in a house full of stuffed animals and has lost friends and family due to his past alcoholism. He at least gives Kevin the courage to stand up to Ninja Nigel.

This is a gentle, gritty tragi comedy. It does misfire a bit with some of the side characters like Ninja Nigel as a supposed comedy gangster. Kevin is strangely likable when he interacts with his nephew but is always likely to make the wrong decision and Phil Davis brings out a tender side to his gnarly character. There is nothing original about this film but it is an admirable effort.

I loved the movie. It surprised me throughout with its contemporary references and echoes of classical Greek drama (the chorus characters), yet I didn't know what to expect. Philip Davis was of course brilliant, but I was amazed at Kevin, who was beautifully played. I do hope we see more of him, as he is also a genuine acting talent who had no problems sharing many scenes with Davis. The themes considered might be regarded as heavy-weight - especially if you are my age and maybe accident prone - but they were handled in a witty and entertaining way. Because of lack of promotion and big movie-names, it may get relegated to TV, but it deserves to be taken seriously as a cinema movie as well

Borrowed Time is a strange mix of drama and comedy with a rather uneven script which sometimes veers too much between the two genres. However it is a film that tries to be different and there are more than enough highlights to make it more of a hit than a miss.

This is in no small part down to a really strong cast. Philip Davis is an excellent actor and he really shines in this as the disillusioned and brow beaten ex teacher. Also impressive is Theo Barklem-Biggs as the slow witted but gentle unemployed youth and Warren Brown as the thug. The actors really bring the characters to life.

There are some good moments of comedy and these are interspersed with some good observational drama. It really shouldn't work but somehow it does and it turns into an unexpected treat.

This is a low budget and unusual film but a very good one. Well worth watching.