Kevin Smith is back again with his new film, The 4:30 Movie. This film is in direct conversation with his last two, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot and Clerks III, as Smith this time looks back at how he ended up in his current position. It stands as a period piece that fans of Smith will undoubtedly recognize as a semi-autobiographical story about how he identified his desire to become a director mixed with one zany day at the movies.
Austin Zajur plays Brian, who has his whole day planned to catch three movies at his local multiplex with his best friends, played by Nicholas Cirillo and Reed Northrup, by sneaking into them. While that’s a pretty exciting Saturday for these cinephiles, Brian is most excited about his date with his long-time crush, Melody (Siena Agudong). On the surface, it should be a relatively laid-back day – but one thing after another threatens to put his plans in jeopardy.
Zajur is simply terrific as the lead. He has an abundance of charm and is capable of delivering Smith’s jokes. Agudong and he have very solid chemistry, and their scenes together are quite enjoyable. The film opens with the phone call that leads to the date being scheduled. Even though they’re in two different locations, it’s an adorable sequence that locks the audience into the stakes of the big date.
Smith’s usual brand of humor is ever-present and works for the most part. There are some of the ubiquitous hindsight jokes present that one typically finds in a period piece. For example, there is a quip about a movie that we know will be a major success in a few years that a character shrugs off as something nobody wants. While those kinds of jokes are cute, they don’t deliver the laughs that many of Smith’s other films often are capable of.
The newest element in Smith’s arsenal has been the ability to access the emotional side of his audience. Both Jay and Silent Bob Reboot and Clerks III managed to get audiences teary-eyed after several moments of laughter. This movie has a few opportunities for people who love movies to get a little choked up. Zajur gets to truly flex his range in this role, and is able to bring the full gamut of emotions required of his character.
The films and trailers of fictional movies – even some of the titles that play on iconic films of our past – are where Smith gets to have the most fun with this story. As per usual, there are plenty of recognizable faces popping up in scenes, including Justin Long, Adam Pally, Ken Jeong, Kate Micucci, Method Man, and more. However, the fake movies let him experiment with the art. Tusk and Red State let Smith break away from his norm, but these little moments allow him to explore the cinematic landscape a bit in fun ways.
The 4:30 Movie is a solid entry into Smith’s filmography. It’s not quite as good as his last two, but it lands squarely in the middle of his catalog. It’s a comedy that gives its actors some good moments to demonstrate their talent.
The 4:30 Movie will be in theaters on September 13.
Rating: 3.5/5
Berkreviews.com 