Be Kind Rewind (Michel Gondry, 2008) Review

If I was asked "What film do you aspire to the most?", Be Kind Rewind would be among them. Not number one, but still, it's up there. Inspiration stems from this film and that is very much a good thing. It's built around one idea that I appriciate and enjoy very much so, a couple of guys have to remake some of the biggest films of all time including Ghostbusters and Robocop.

Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) runs a video rental store with the help of Mike (Mos Def), his trustworthy and reliable assistant. When Mr. Fletcher goes on 'vacation' (and by vacation I mean to spy on rival video stores that have moved on to DVD), Mike's friend Jerry (Jack Black) tries to convince Mike to shut down the eletrical power plant with him (it makes sense in context). After Mike declines, Jerry does so anyway but, after a electrical disaster, accidentally wipes all the videos on the store. Now they have to recreate all the films that were wiped before Mr. Fletcher returns however they're 'sweded' (the term they use for their films) films catch the interest of the customers and soon recreate all the films they have with the help of residents such as Alma (Melonie Diaz).

As you might expect, with the concept of film parodies, there is lots of room for some interesting and hilarious moments linked with the films that they recreate. Yes there is. The inventive ways they get around the big budget CGI effects are really a great thing and is one of the films high points, whether it be negative camera mode for night time or zooming in on a marshmallow man...then setting it on fire while Jerry is to the side making sound effects. It leads to some funny moments that really make one want to make their own films.

Be Kind Rewind, despite being a comedy film, has a clear message that's actually quite shocking. The film addresses the idea of copyright issues that are shown at the beginning on films on the video. It makes for some important ideals about making films or recreating them. There is also an idea about moving on from video to DVD which is mentioned a few times. This is during the time in DVDs were rising and VHS tapes were no longer the standard (and I hope DVDs don't get replaced considering Blu-Ray failed at becoming the standard) .

I say this is a inspirational film since I love to make films as well as act in them. It also dabbles in the ideas addressed rather well (I'm just glad there was no mention of 3-D...*shudder*) and leads to some great emotional moments. It's not just in it for crude comedy, it's structured well and goes at a decent pace. It leads to an ambiguous and great climax. The ending lets the audience think about what happens next...much like this review since I can't think of a way to finish it off...so...erm...THE END!

Verdict:
8.5/10
A clever film that mixes comedy with some great moments. A unique idea that works well.