8 Minutes Idle

Dan's home life implodes when he lets his father into the house and his mother kicks him out. The visiting father swiftly steals Kathy's lottery ticket, triggering financial and emotional turmoil that drives the plot.

Alice, the icy boss, informs him that he must step into a team-leader role. The role requires him to decide who to fire or risk being fired himself, a moral and professional pressure that frames much of the early story.

Dan learns his father has been involved in a hit-and-run, with suspicion pointing toward his mother. He goes to visit his father in the hospital, confronting the family crisis head-on.

Dan moves into the office with his cat John, turning his workspace into a temporary home. The unusual living arrangement begins as he tries to stay afloat while the call centre fights to stay open.

Ade lends him money to find somewhere to stay, but Dan uses it to buy a replacement iPod. This choice highlights his desperation and detachment from securing real housing.

Dan asks around for someone to stay with, including his coworker Teri, but none can accommodate him. He ends up sleeping at the office, clinging to his job and routines.

Alice pushes him to fire someone, singling out Teri as the target. Dan wrestles with the decision, knowing it could cost him the job or his conscience.

Alice comes onto Dan in the office, crossing boundaries and revealing a dangerous power dynamic. They share a sexual encounter, further complicating his life at work.

In a team meeting, Teri is fired for being late, following Dan's earlier failure to fire her. At a later work social, Teri reveals she had fabricated a boyfriend named Jake.

Dan reveals his precarious living situation to Teri. She helps him retrieve John, the cat, from the ceiling, which is revealed to be dead.

While Teri remains stuck in the ceiling, Alice arrives at the office for Dan, leading to a tense confrontation that heightens the employees' stress.

The call centre folds, plunging the office into chaos during the final karaoke social. Alice knocks Teri out with a bottle, prompting Dan to rush her to hospital as chaos erupts.

At the hospital, Dan sees his father leaving with his mother, who have reconciled in order to chase the lottery money. The moment underscores the selfish motives driving the family actions.

Teri recovers, and Dan invites her to live with him in the now-empty office, having been kicked out of her houseshare. The offer marks a tentative new chapter as they navigate an unstable world.