Be Kind Rewind (2008)

Truly Dreadful Film

The greatest movie ever made..!

Load of rubbish!!

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

VHS. VCR. Video. Video Rental.Such were the terminologies when videotapes could be rented, watched, and then returned only to be rented again by your next door neighbor who complained that the tape wasn't rewound at the time of purchase. "Be Kind Rewind" was the annoying slogan plastered on the bulky piece of plastic.In Michel Gondry's radically original flick, two lowly video store clerks are faced with the challenge of not only renting out a dying breed of videotapes but making them as well. There's no way of describing Be Kind Rewind's plot without smirking, but I'll try: Loser drifter, Jerry (played by crazy Jack Black), is accidentally "magnetized" by a nearby electrical plant. On an innocent stroll to the local New Jersey video/thrift store, he accidentally demagnetizes or "clears" all the contents of the videotapes on display. In an effort to save the old shop's business, co-manager, Mike (a composed Mos Def of a more popular reference to rap music), and idiotic Jerry come up with an amazing plan: re-film all the erased videos with themselves as the actors through the lens of a cheap, handy camcorder. I know this sounds stupid, ludicrous, and out of this world, and all three observations are correct. These two characters really are stupid, really believe in their ludicrous plan, and after the first 30 minutes, you realize that you really aren't in Kansas anymore. Mike and Jerry's renditions are so bad, they're hilariously good. Plus, although it may seem chaotic, this film embraces a refreshing outlook: Movies are fun, but they're more fun to make.

A loose story developed around an amusing concept, "Be Kind Rewind" showcases the limits of good intentions alone as much as it does the visual cleverness of writer-director Michel Gondry.Mike (Mos Def) works at a video rental store in Passaic, New Jersey. One day the store's entire inventory of videotapes is accidentally erased by bumbling pal Jerry (Jack Black). Forced to improvise, the pair set about restocking the store with special new footage for the lost movies they shoot themselves, using whatever is on hand. The end result proves wildly popular, but can it save the store from demolition?"Be Kind Rewind" works hard at establishing a rudimentary concept of "do-it-yourself" filmmaking it calls "Sweding." This basically involves taking the core idea behind a big-budget Hollywood production, say "Ghostbusters" or "Rush Hour 2," and shooting a 20- minute improvised version of that on videotape.It's a fun concept that takes up a half-hour of montage sequences and set-ups. The rest of the time, we get Gondry's vision of Passaic as a multi-cultural melting pot of good vibes and offbeat whimsy. Rather pleasant, yet it never coalesces into anything substantial.Much of the more structured comedy is dropped on the shoulders of Black, who plays one of his more antic wild men here, to a somewhat obnoxious extent. A lengthy opening section plays up his character's annoying, trouble-causing nature especially as it relates to a power plant which Jerry claims is controlling and "paranizing" him. This is one of many pieces of "Be Kind Rewind" which feels totally random, more so after it is dropped for the "Sweding" idea.The whole film is like that. We are given a lengthy preamble about the singular importance of Fats Waller to the community, only to learn later on that he wasn't really born in the building where the video store is, and so what? A long section centers on the video store's owner, Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) and his fight to keep the building from being demolished which is played up at dramatic length but never resolved.At least the "sweding" is fun. Shooting "Ghostbusters," Mike does his own version of the end credits, him basically saying "Starring Bill Murray and other actors" after the shoot is over. When the Stay Puft Marshmellow Man explodes, the final effect is achieved by holding a still photo of a crowd of people in front of the camera lens, then spraying it with whipped cream.I especially enjoyed Melonie Diaz as a young woman named Alma who Mike and Jerry enlist to help them make their movies, basically to play any of the female parts that require kissing scenes. Like everything else in the film, Alma is introduced randomly, but with Diaz in the part I didn't care. It's fun watching her interact with everyone else in such an unaffected way, however absurd it gets.Gondry, who made his mark with high-concept projects like "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind," seems here to be consciously stepping down from that more serious headspace to make something designed to be enjoyable and to celebrate the human spirit. After about 30 minutes, I was more or less enjoying the experience, if never quite enough to recommend it.

Following his magnetic polarization in a freak electrical accent, Jerry (Jack Black) ruins his friend Mike's (Mos Def) video store by erasing all the existing tapes. Now forced with the threat of an angry store owner (Danny Glover), Mike and Jerry team up to re-shoot their inventory and market the films off as their own. Jack Black is undoubtedly one of the funniest human beings ever to act in a movie, but he does so by also being a good actor. It's rare to see that combination in a comedian, the last time it was so clear was with the late John Candy, may he rest in peace. The thing is, I could see John Candy in a film like this were he still with us. This film sees the return of Michael Gondry, the immensely talented director who brought us "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Human Nature". This offering is different than his previous work. The script is less spunk and more soul. The friendships made by these characters feel as real as if the actors themselves were just as good friends. "Be Kind Rewind" is a funny film with a genuinely unique concept. The performances were spot-on and the plot kept me watching. Well done.

I must be one of the only few people I know that Adore this film, but I also love the movie making craft and all the hurdles it entails, there is nothing like that moment when you say action! and you turn on the suspend belief button.This movie makes that dream moment accessible to any artist and it does that with a lot of heart and humor, I personally found it to be so full of ideas and inspiration that I could hardly pass it off as only a comedy.I think if you're someone who loves the art of making films this is for you.