Be Kind, Rewind

"when you're walking down the street...and you see a little ghost...whatcha gonna do about it...ghostbusters"

Written by: Michel Gondry

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Starring: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover

My rating: 10/10

To say Be Kind Rewind is your typical Jack Black movie is both true and horribly untrue. Yes, Jack Black plays a big, arrogant but ultimately lovable character, yes it has a big concept and yes it's full of huge laughs. However, far from typical cineplex fodder, Michel Gondry delivers a heartfelt, beautiful, bjut enormously entertaining masterpiece that proves that you can get a balance between art and entertainment.

The story revolves around a tiny video store in a shitty town in New Jersey owned by Mr. Fletcher (a wonderful performance by Danny Glover) who is aided by Mike (Mos Def) and driven crazy by Mike's best friend Jerry (Jack Black). When Mr. Fletcher goes on a trip out of town, elaving the store in Mike's hands, Jerry accidentally manages to (don't ask!) magnetise his body and therefore (again, don't ask) erase every video in the store. To avoid disaster, Mike and Jerry decide to remake every film in the store. This is where Gondry shows his trye level of creativity. The "sweded" films may be silly and fun but they are bursting with imagination and are so full of innocence and joy that it is impossible not to be charmed.

All this silliness however is counteracted by a lovely storyline about the evil Hollywood people suing them and trying to knock down the store to build condos. The sense of community and the preciousness of this tiny crappy video store is really touching and all concerned lead this silly farce into a really touching denoument. Not a dry eye in the house.

Kudos must go to everyone involved in this movie for how genuine it seemed. It's hard to imagine anyone playing the diva on set, when everyone seems to be so full or energy and spirit.

Highly recommended!

- Charlene Lydon 20/03/2008