story & synopsis

 

Philip and Casper, two friends in their early twenties, share a flat just off Brick Lane in London’s East End. At the end of every month, Philip begs his mother to pay their rent so that he and Casper can spend their time doing nothing in particular; or more precisely cruising around East London on their battered, spray-painted scooter, chasing after girls. It's their profession, their trade, a job without pay. Once they spot a target they fancy, they flip a coin to decide who will pursue her. Philip, although lucky enough to win the coin tosses, is terrible at pulling the ladies. Pretending each time that his mate’s success either doesn’t bother him or is beneath him, Philip is in fact highly jealous of the consummate ease and charm that so endears Casper to the opposite sex. But things are about to change: Casper is going to Spain on vacation and he's leaving Philip a 'present'. She is an old friend of his, almost like a sister he explains, called Marie. She's gorgeous, she's French, and she will rent Casper’s room while he is away. Philip is sceptical, to say the least. However, when Marie at last arrives she is more beautiful than he could ever imagine and it looks like Philip may be about to end his dry spell; love is in the air. But just before the happy ending, a disaster arises. Casper returns, having missed his flight to Spain and the two friends soon find themselves entangled in a scheming rivalry, each attempting to trump the other in winning Marie's heart. Philip tries his best, but Casper's relaxed wit and charm puts him miles ahead and the tension that results from this competitive relationship is soon brought to a boiling point. Philip finds himself
unable to even fake apathy when Casper is the first to “seal the deal”‚ with Marie, the first girl ever to penetrate his protective aloofness.
Once Marie has got the two lust-struck boys eating out of the palm of her hand, she suggests a way out of their financial distress by robbing the house of the family where she works as an au pair. Casper and Philip pretend to bury the hatchet while planning the heist, but behind their disguises they only have one thing on their mind: Marie. In the meantime, Philip desperately clings on to the hope that nothing ever happened between Marie and Casper that night he lured her back to the flat. They were probably both too drunk and fell asleep before anything could take place. Just when Philip finally finds himself in a unique moment alone with Marie in the house where she works, inches away from the pot of gold, seconds away from getting laid, the voluptuous, lustful poodle-like lady of the house demands his helping hand and proceeds to ravish him in the walk-in closet. Feeling guilty but somewhat relieved, Philip decides that it will not all have been
in vain if he takes a moment to look for the money. But it’s not like the loot really matters anymore. Sexual frustration, financial ambition and male competitiveness are the driving emotions of this comedy. It’s about finding love, losing it, trying to find it again, wondering what it really means and working out if it has anything to do with the
meaning of life. Philip, Casper and Marie do try to rob the house more than once, and every time it ends differently. It’s safe to say that at the end of the day nothing really turned out the way any of them thought it would. Ends….

 

Flipping Coins

 

story coming... er... if I dare to tell it.