MovieChat Forums > Be Kind Rewind (2008) Discussion > The biggest problem with this film?

The biggest problem with this film?

posted 14 years ago by MrRazorz
7 replies | jump to latest

Jack Black.

Don't get me wrong. I like Black as an comedy actor, when he's in the kind of film that suits his style. But he didn't belong in this one.

The trouble with Be Kind Rewind is that it's disjointed - on one level it's a subtle, poignant little comedy (with shades of drama) about little guys bucking the status quo and a community coming together. It's one of Danny Glover's better performances to date, and seriously increased my respect for Mos Def. But then there's all these silly, over-the-top and implausible scenes about people being magnetised by electricity and painting themselves with "street camouflage" to hide from the police, which don't really gel with the rest of the film. And it doesn't take long to notice that all of the silly, out-of-place scenes are the ones featuring Jack Black. Cut him out completely, let Mos Def and Glover and Farrow do their thing, and this film would have been a 9/10. As it is, I can only give it a 7.

"KEEP JERRY OUT". If only the producers had listened.

[–] swashbuccaler 14 years ago

Jack Black did not ruin this movie. Sure he sucks in this, but his performance didn't change this movie at all. The basic premise of the movie is crap.

And on Danny Glover turning in "one of his better performances to date".. Based on what? He plays his character fine, but he isn't even on screen enough for you to say that.

Be Kind Rewind is truly a pretentious, annoying, and unbelievable movie.

[–] MrRazorz 14 years ago

The basic premise of the movie is crap.

The premise is pretty silly, but I think of it as a device for whatever the film had to say about independent filmmaking, DIY ingenuity, community spirit, etc.

And on Danny Glover turning in "one of his better performances to date".. Based on what?

His previous performances? My personal opinion?

Put it this way - this was one of the few Danny Glover roles I've seen where I actually believed he was the character, instead of just Danny Glover again.

He plays his character fine

Then what's the problem? o_O

but he isn't even on screen enough for you to say that.

First of all... yeah, he is. Most of his scenes are brief, but he's there throughout the film, and especially prominent in the last half hour or so.

Secondly, is there a minimum amount of time an actor has to be on screen for me to form an opinion about their performance? Some actors appear in one brief scene of a film and completely steal the show. It happens all the time in Tarantino flicks.

[–] swashbuccaler 14 years ago

If you liked Danny Glover in this, I would watch "The Royal Tenenbaum's".. He is playing that same exact character.

[–] BatmanBeyond 14 years ago

If you liked Danny Glover in this, I would watch "The Royal Tenenbaum's".. He is playing that same exact character.

Only in a better context.

As for the movie... Its crap. I would buy the whole independant filmmaking stuff and all, if the leads weren't effectively plagarizing well-known movies and made profit from it. So that said, no, I don't think Jack Black is the biggest problem of this film - in fact, Mos Whatever is an awful casting, and can't imagine anyone being pleased with his work here (or anywhere).

Call me mean, but you're never gonna convince me that Jack Black could EVER look anything like Jackie Chun. Or Bill Murray - or the whole cast of Boyz'n the Hood.

[–] Halo572 14 years ago

They had to have the magnetised plot device as otherwise how would the tapes get erased? I know it is stupid, but it is key to the plot and it disappeared quickly enough once it had done its job.

I had to keep checking whether it was set in the 80s/90s as surely with DVD players being so cheap now, even in a deprived area, most people would have upgraded? You can get one for £23 ($35) in a catalogue shop in the UK, likely less on the Internet or ebay.

I haven't turned my video recorder on for at least 4-5 years since getting a HD recorder and I still have the same DVD player I bought in 2001.

I think you were being generous at a 7, I thought a 5 at best.

[–] PsychoDingo 9 years ago

there's a reason the Be Kind Rewind video store doesn't have many customers, and hasn't done $20 in business in a day in who knows how long

think about it

I got girls up here do more tricks than a god damn monkey on a hundred yards of grape vine.

[–] heelmaster2000 9 years ago

The biggest problem with this film is Michel Gondry. He is not a good director.