Be Kind Rewind

In an age where films like WITLESS PROTECTION even exist, we could use a reminder of why the cinema has become such an important facet of our culture. Leave it to Michel Gondry to show just how affecting the transformative magic of movies can be. BE KIND REWIND is a hilarious and surprisingly touching gift to movie fanatics everywhere. Extending beyond its gimmicky premise, Gondry gets spirited performances from all involved and crafts perhaps the sweetest and most heartfelt film-related finale since CINEMA PARADISO.

Be Kind Rewind is a old-fashioned VHS video store and pawn shop in Passaic, New Jersey, and the birthplace of legendary jazz musician Fats Waller. But the store has fallen on hard times, and owner Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) faces pressure from chain DVD rental stores and city zoning commissions to close the place down. He goes away for a weekend, placing the only other employee, adopted son Mike (Mos Def) in charge of the store with one strict rule: he must not let his unhinged, paranoid friend Jerry (Jack Black) in the store. Unfortunately, after being magnetized in a freak accident, Jerry does make his way into the store and, in the process, erases all the video tapes. In order to appease the store’s most frequent customer (Mia Farrow), the two quickly tape themselves acting out the movie GHOSTBUSTERS. Soon the tactic catches on, and the store is more crowded than ever, bursting at the walls with customers demanding to see more cheaply remade films starring the two.

The film is Gondry’s most mainstream production by far. The visual styling that made his previous films, particularly ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND and THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP, so distinctive is relegated to a few brief sections in the middle of the film and the end. But where there is less visual experimentation, there is a greater emphasis on storytelling. The film’s plot, especially in its second half, flirts with clichés but sidesteps them with its honesty and unabashed sentimentalism. It wisely goes beyond the mere premise of two guys remaking famous films, though the recreations are extremely funny. Black and Def’s version of GHOSTBUSTERS and DRIVING MISS DAISY in particular are pitch-perfect homages to everyone who reenacted their favorite films in their basements. But Gondry is smart enough to realize that to really make the film a memorable experience, more is needed. As the film rides into its second half, the laughs are set aside and the core of the film is really examined.

The film is performed with vigor by its cast. Black once again takes on a not-so-expected role in a not-so-expected film. After KING KONG, MARGOT AT THE WEDDING and now BE KIND REWIND, he is establishing himself as one of the riskier comedic actors out there today. He still brings his trademark sense of humor to his role, but he proves to be surprisingly well-fitted for Gondry’s quirkily eccentric voice. Glover gives his most invigorated performance in years. Gone is his usual tendency to deliver lines at just above a whisper, and his aged weariness gives a great deal of heart to the film. Def is appropriately wide-eyed and hopeful, and it’s always nice to see Mia Farrow in a new film.

BE KIND REWIND is made for people who believe in the power movies can hold over a culture. Midway through the film, a discussion between three main characters about THE LION KING soon includes everyone that surrounds them; for a few brief moments, people of all walks of life are united. And as the finale shows, when enough heart is poured into a film, its reach can be endless. BE KIND REWIND has that heart and isn’t afraid to show it.

****/****