A Film With Heart and Soul

By Broadside Staff Writer Ross Bonaime

“To films with heart and soul!” Miss Falewicz, one of the prominent renters at the VHS shop in director and writer Michel Gondry’s new film, Be Kind Rewind, proclaims as she toasts the store’s newest remake masterpiece, a phrase that is appropriate for the film since Be Kind Rewind is filled with plenty of heart and soul.

When Be Kind Rewind’s owner, Mr. Fletcher, played by Danny Glover of the Lethal Weapon series and The Royal Tenenbaums, leaves on a vacation to figure out how to keep his ailing video store up to date, he leaves the store in the hands of Mike, who is played by Mos Def of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and The Italian Job. After Mike's best friend Jerry, played by Jack Black of School of Rock and Margot at the Wedding, becomes electrocuted one night, he walks into Be Kind Rewind and accidentally de-magnetized every VHS tape in the store. When the store's customers become irate with the blank tapes and with the fear of letting down Mr. Fletcher looming over Mike and Jerry's heads, they decide to remake, or "Swede" the films.

What starts out as a quick Ghostbusters remake becomes a huge neighborhood phenomenon. Their shortened, homemade versions of the films make the remakes, Mike and Jerry, and Be Kind Rewind, into overnight successes.

Mos Def shines as the nerve-wracked, short-term manager and shows his full potential as a leading man. For years, he has played minor roles, but is able to hold his own against film veterans like Glover and Mia Farrow, of Rosemary's Baby and 2006's The Omen. Black occasionally slips into his Jack Black routine, but is at his best when he shys away from his stereotypical craziness. When Black is not over the top, he is able to give one of the best performances of his career. Rising star Melonie Diaz, who had roles in Lords of Dogtown and A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, plays Alma, ends up being "The Girl" in all of the Sweded films. Diaz is a very likable character and fits in perfectly with Black and Def. The real stars of this film, however, are the supporting cast of the neighborhood. The unusual renters that come in daily to the shop create some of the best moments of the film and bring life to the store. Mike and Jerry’s films bring the town of Passaic, New Jersey together and their contributions to the films really make them feel special.

Gondry's vivid and unusual mind shows in every aspect of Be Kind Rewind. His originality and uniqueness has shown in his previous films, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep, and he continues to surprise audiences here. His in-camera tricks shows the influence that one of film's first great innovators, George Melies, has had on him and brings that influence to a whole new generation. Gondry's low-budget recreations are inspiring and incredibly smart. Films like Driving Miss Daisy, The Lion King and 2001: A Space Odyssey are remade with ease, as if these ideas have been brewing in Gondry's mind for years. The genius here comes from turning simple items, like a green trash bag can, into Slimer from Ghostbusters or well-placed pizzas can be used to recreate a drive-by from Boyz N The Hood.

Be Kind Rewind really deals with the evolution of the film industry, the generalization of films and the lack of originality in many films today. By recreating massive, epic films with gigantic budgets and huge casts with just a few dollars and a handful of people, Mike and Jerry are able to show that it does not necessarily take millions of dollars to make something that will touch an entire audience. The beauty and the simplicity of their movies touches viewers and shows the kind of heart that goes into each newly made film.

Be Kind Rewind is a near-perfect comedy that succeeds in almost every way. The film is witty and smart in a way that few films are. What could have turned into a gimmicky and dumb idea becomes a touching film with Gondry's script and direction. With the exception of a few loose ends, there is no reason why anyone should come out of the theater without a huge smile on their face. Be Kind Rewind ends up being just as sweet and filled with heart as the films that come out of Mike and Jerry's little VHS shop.

Be Kind Rewind is out in theaters nationwide.