Today’s quick review: Be Kind Rewind. Mike (Mos Def), an employee at a struggling video store, is left in charge of the store while its owner (Danny Glover) is away. But when his friend Jerry (Jack Black) accidentally wipes the store’s entire collection of VHS tapes, Mike and Jerry have to fix the situation in the only way they can: by recording their own ultra-low-budget versions of the erased films.
Be Kind Rewind is a heartfelt comedy that celebrates small businesses, community, and the way people interact with movies. Be Kind Rewind revolves around Mike and Jerry’s attempts to recreate Hollywood classics to keep their customers satisfied. Their homemade movies are an unexpected hit and offer a way to keep the store from going under, but only if Mike and Jerry can turn their slapdash new business into something more.
Be Kind Rewind’s main strengths are its likable characters, its inventive premise, and its sense of heart. Jack Black and Mos Def make for a fairly good comedic duo and are just clever enough to get themselves into new kinds of trouble. The phony movies lead to some fun montages and are a steady source of humor for the film. Be Kind Rewind also has a few touching moments as Mike and Jerry’s homemade movies bring the community together.
Where Be Kind Rewind falls short is in its overt comedy. The jokes have the stumbling imperfection of real life, but in return, the movie gives up the use of real punchlines. The same tradeoff applies to the emotional side of the film: the haphazard writing helps give the film its earthy charm, but it misses out on the chances to flesh out the characters or deepen the emotional payoff that tighter scripting would have provided.
Watch Be Kind Rewind if you are looking for a light and creative comedy with a unique premise. The humor is one or two notches shy of hilarious, and the writing is far from perfect, but Be Kind Rewind does have its moments. Check it out when you are in the mood to relax in front of an easy, pleasant comedy. Skip it if you are looking for punchier humor or tighter writing.
6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for good heart and amusing humor.