Digital versus analog, round one
The story behind Be Kind, Rewind had potential. You have two goofball, lovable losers trying to do good. Why are they trying to do good? Black’s character, Jerry, fully believes that the electric company that he lives near is spreading some sort of harmful electricity. Wanting to get rid of it, he attempts to sabotage the machinery. Failing, he is severely electrocuted and has a large amount of magnetism in his body. Going near the tape store that his buddy, Mike, helps to run with Danny Glover’s character, Elroy Fletcher, Jerry ends up erasing all the VHS tapes. Competing with the DVD rental place across the street, Jerry and Mike end up recreating all the movies that they’re renting on the shelves before Fletcher comes back off of his vacation.
I’ve been going through the best way to describe this film. Imagine any 80’s film where the lovable losers are given an opportunity, which they fail at initially, and in the end they redeem themselves in the most unusual way where everybody ends up loving/forgiving them. That’s the entire structure of this film. The plus and minuses are here and there. First, Jack Black really probably plays a downsized version of his typical wacky characters, the closest being the teacher in The School of Rock. He actually brought the movie down a smidge, only his fan-base will truly appreciate his dumb-arse role as Jerry. He certainly made Mos Def’s Mike look even better. Mike wants to do good in the film and ends up screwing up thanks to Jerry, so they play off each other really quite well. Everyone else involved did a fine job, excuse Mia Farrow’s creepy Miss Falewicz, which tends to get old and uninspired at times.
Actors and actresses aside, I think that Be Kind Rewind isn’t a failure at all, like its lead characters pan out to be. It gets lost in the middle with plot points, trying not to focus on Jerry’s wackiness too much, but rather doing its best on hanging on to the next step in the story. It stumbles on occasion, probably spending too much time on some movies they’re putting together (way too long on Ghostbusters), it could have done more for less. Beyond that, the movie picks up towards the end with the real message and point of the film shining through. While not believable at the end, it certainly does satisfy to an extent.
Overall, Be Kind Rewind is worth a view. I think you’ll enjoy Mos Def more than Jack Black, but as a whole you’ll enjoy the pair. Good movie at best.
VHS to Blu-ray transfer
Jerry and Mike thankfully didn’t do the transfer on this one, the Blu-ray format of Be Kind Rewind is beautiful. It looks and sounds really quite good, excellent if you will. You won’t be disappointed, even in the wacky menu system.
Here’s what you get on the special features side of things:
– Portrait of Passaic, New Jersey
– Behind-the Scenes Featurette
– Conversation with Jack Black and Michel Gondry
– Making of Featurette
– Musical Tribute to Fats Waller with Mos Def, Michel Gondry and Jean-Michel Benard
– Jack Black and Mos Def Improvise “Sweded” Theme Songs
– Complete Fats Waller Biopic
This might be the case were the features are better than the film. You’ve got yourself an array of good features that add to the film and its motif. The featurettes and biopic are worth the price alone. Really great stuff here.
Analog wins, but only with this film
In the end, all ends well. The movie is entertaining, not overly spectacular, but entertaining. It shows off what a group of people can keep alive regardless of the future (sort of like how long it has taken HDTV to actually get to the U.S.). You will be entertained by this comedy and might learn a thing or two about life, who knows. Regardless, it’s a funny movie that looks good on Blu-ray and sports some great special features.
Check it out before you buy it. Hopefully it won’t be Sweded.