Jason Lee

‘The 4:30 Movie’ Review by Tony Farinella

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

As the title spells out, this review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent Tony Farinella.

Kevin Smith has developed a loyal and dedicated following amongst the film community because he’s a film lover at heart. He’s someone who appreciates cinema and the magic that can occur when you create something powerful on screen. He’s one of the few directors out there where people will see his movies based on his reputation. When they see “Directed by Kevin Smith,” they know they are in good hands. He’s also shown he can dabble in various genres with budgets of all sizes.  His latest film, “The 4:30 Movie,” feels more like an early Smith film in terms of its budget, heart and humor.  It’s a delightful slice of life about growing up, falling in love, and falling in love with the movies.

“The 4:30 Movie” is described as semi-autobiographical and is said to be loosely based on Smith’s early adventures of going to the movies along with his early romantic escapades.  The film’s main character is named Brian David, and he’s played by Austin Zajur. Brian has a huge crush on Melody Barnegat, played by Siena Agudong. He had a chance to take things further with Melody the previous summer, but he was a little too shy and timid. He’s lived with that regret for a full year, so he’s looking forward to connecting with her when he invites her to the movies with his two buddies, Burny (Nicholas Cirillo) and Belly (Reed Northrup). This is a big moment for Brian, one that he has been waiting for and thinking about for a full year.

Of course, Brian and his buddies run into a unique cast of characters along the way, including a pro-wrestler named Major Murder (Sam Richardson), a power-hungry theater manager (played perfectly by Ken Jeong), and an Emo Usher (Adam Pally). The film also includes cameos by Jason Lee, Rachel Dratch, Diedrich Bader, Jenny Mollen, Jason Biggs, Justin Long, Rosario Dawson, and Method Man.  Even if they’re only in the film for a minute or less, they help populate the unique and quirky world of “The 4:30 Movie.”  It reminded me of the classic teen comedies I grew up with in the late 1990’s. Smith is able to make an R-rated teen comedy with just the right amount of R-rated humor and sweetness it needs to succeed.

I’m really glad Smith decided to stick with an R-rating here.  Even though there is nothing in the film which is offensive or obscene, they need to be able to talk how teenagers talked in the 1980’s.  When you try to put a muzzle on that, the audience is going to notice it.  The film is simplistic in its moviemaking approach, but that is exactly what the story calls for, as it’s about friendship, romance, love, humor, and finding yourself.  It is clear that Smith trusts his actors and also his script, so he allows it to unfold in a very authentic way.  The film is barely over eighty-minutes long, when you take away the credits, but that’s exactly what I wanted out of an end-of-summer teen comedy/romance.

The script is also razor sharp with a lot of great winking-at-the-camera moments and references.  Smith is a terrific writer, and he knows how to write dialogue for his characters.  It’s safe to say Brian David is based on a young Kevin Smith: funny, awkward, goofy, and with a lot of passion for cinema. Everyone in the film is also interesting and likable, even the evil goofy manager. This is very much a film that has a sense of place and time.  It feels a lot like “Stranger Things” without the horror elements.  It is about young people in the 80’s who are figuring things out together as a group and also as individuals.

“The 4:30 Movie” is a fun, sweet and heartfelt flick.  It reminded me of being a young teenager who had a crush on a girl, and all I could think about was that girl.  I was also a movie nerd and still am.  The idea of going to the movies with a girl you were crushing on in high school was the ultimate dream at that time.  You also had your buddies you went to the movies with, and you would go each and every Friday to check out a new release.  It was a simpler time in life, and it’s something I would imagine many people are nostalgic for these days. In today’s day and age of streaming and instant access to movies, the big screen experience has lost its luster.  When you factor in dating websites and social media, it’s also not the same when it comes to dating. We live in a world of swiping left or right to pick our next partner in life.

“The 4:30 Movie” is old-school Kevin Smith at his finest.  I had a blast with this movie, especially the fun soundtrack composed by the very talented Bear McCreary, who has made a name for himself in the horror genre with his tremendous musical stylings.  He did a great song in 2019 for the “Child’s Play” remake called “The Buddi Song” with Mark Hamill which I really enjoyed.  There’s also a song in this movie which is sure to be stuck in your head after you hear it.  You have great acting from the young actors, fun cameos, and a witty and sweet script. All of the ingredients are working here to make this one of the best Kevin Smith films in years.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

Should You See It?

“The 4:30 Movie” is opening in theaters on September 13th.  Considering the film is very much a love letter to the big screen experience, I would recommend you see it with some friends at the theater. I’ve noticed the film is playing in a lot of independent theaters around my area, which is the perfect way to see a film like this one. I loved this movie, and it left me with a big fat smile on my face.  It reminded me of why I go to the movies and why I love them in the first place.  It’s a feel-good movie as well.  This one comes highly recommended.

‘Jay and Silent Bob Reboot’ – The Duo is Back for Some High Times

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Jay and Silent Bob Reboot poster

2001’s “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” was supposed to be the last installment of the View Askewniverse, but time has shown you cannot keep two stoners from New Jersey down. The duo would return in “Clerks II,” and now 13 years later following some serious drug problems and a near fatal heart attack, Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith have come back to play their iconic characters in “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” which has the two up to the same shenanigans while finding new meaning in their lives. Like the average Kevin Smith film, it is imperfect but still a lot of fun. And unlike “Yoga Hosers,” you do not have to be stoned to enjoy it.

When “Reboot” begins, Jay and Silent Bob have been busted by the police for running an illegal marijuana operation in the old RST video store next to the Quick Stop. In court, they are represented by Brandon (Justin Long) who gets them acquitted upon convincing the judge (Craig Robinson) that the duo’s store was a temporary pop-up store designed to promote an upcoming movie. The case against them is dismissed which is a relief for them and me as I was not in the mood to watch a court movie. Things, however, take a sharp left turn when the same lawyer quickly switches sides and defends a representative of Saban Films which has optioned the comic book series “Bluntman and Chronic.” It turns out the two, when they were signing documents the lawyer said were necessary for representation purposes, inadvertently signed away their naming rights to Saban, and now they can no longer self-identify as Jay and Silent Bob ever again.

After meeting with Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee), Jay and Silent Bob discover Saban is planning a big budget reboot entitled “Bluntman v Chronic” which is being directed by… Well, you’ll see. Once again, our intrepid duo heads out to Hollywood in an effort to stop production in this reboot and reclaim their identities in the process.

Yes, the plot of “Reboot” is the same as “Strikes Back,” and even Smith has stated this new movie is “literally the same fucking movie all over again.” However, to dismiss this latest View Askew production as a lazy retread would be to miss the point. Smith is out to make fun of sequels, remakes and reboots, and he is not lost on the irony that “Reboot” is essentially all three of those things. What results is one of the most meta movies I have seen in some time as he threatens to be cleverer than he is, but it also results in a motion picture which kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Not all the jokes hit, but the ones which do had me laughing uncontrollably, and this includes one such moment which made me as light-headed as the “frosted” scene from “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.”

As you can expect, there are a myriad of cameos to be found throughout “Reboot” as well as a ton of easter eggs. One key cameo comes early when Shannon Elizabeth returns as Justice (a.k.a. Boo Boo Kitty Fuck), Jay’s love interest from “Strike Back.” It turns out Jay did get an answer to his question of “will you fuck me when you get out” as Justice introduces him to their love child, Millennium “Milly” Faulken (Harley Quinn Smith). But because Jay and Justice have been estranged for years to where she has lied to Milly about his whereabouts, she encourages Jay not to reveal to Milly he is her father because, well, you know. Still, Milly finds a way to join him and Silent Bob on their journey to Hollywood.

The moment where Jay discovers he is a dad is what makes this particular View Askew movie stand out as he is forced to confront a new responsibility no one is easily prepared for. It also allows for Jason Mewes to show a vulnerability here we have not seen from previously, and this makes for an especially heartfelt story. In real life, Mewes has become a dad himself, and this among other things is what has kept him from an early death. Seriously, there is real emotion to be found here in “Reboot” even for those who are not Kevin Smith fans in the slightest.

As for the other cameos, not all of them have been spoiled by the trailer, so I will go over the ones you already know about. Chris Hemsworth, in a movie filled with priceless “Thor” puns, plays himself and reminds us of his inspired comic performance in the “Ghostbusters” reboot. Ralph Garman of “The Ralph Report” can rest assured that his cameo as Ted Underhill lasts a lot longer than 17 seconds, but it could have lasted even longer so we too could get his character’s credit card number. Matt Damon’s cameo is so infinitely priceless to where I refuse to ruin it for anyone and, unlike Jimmy Kimmel, I am glad Smith made time for him. You also have Fred Armisen, Rosario Dawson and Kevin’s wife Jennifer Schwalbach making small but very memorable appearances, and be sure to take a look at the name of Craig Robinson’s character as it is like something out of a 1970’s exploitation movie.

But the best cameo here comes from Ben Affleck who returns as “Chasing Amy’s” Holden McNeil. Both Affleck and Smith had been estranged for some time, but even Affleck knew he had to be a part of this flick as Smith was responsible for giving him some of his first leading roles in movies. Plus, Affleck helps to give “Reboot” an even bigger heart as he talks about how children are like our own reboots, and this solidifies the evolution Smith had in mind for the various characters he has created over the years. While “Clerks II” dealt with the responsibilities of being an adult, “Reboot” looks at what becoming a parent does to your overall identity to where everything else in your life becomes secondary. Smith covered this before in “Jersey Girl,” a movie which I think is better than people typically give it credit for, but here it takes on a deeper meaning as both he and Mewes have danced with the Grim Reaper and have come out the other side with infinitely changed perspectives.

When it comes to the cinema of Kevin Smith, his movies are either for you or they are not. I have been a big fan of his since “Clerks” which contained one of my most favorite pieces of dialogue ever (“This job would be great if it weren’t for the fucking customers”), and it is a true joy to see him revisit his View Askew Universe. While he may not be as gifted as Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg, Smith still knows how to give us a fun time, and he does just that with “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.” Even if you are not supposed to be here today, I would like to think this movie will find a way to cheer you up. And yes, be sure to stay through the end credits.

* * * ½ out of * * * *