Be Kind Rewind is an imperfect film, but one that is worth watching basically because it has charm. Come to think of it, this can be said about many films Jack Black was in -- many of them aren't great [some I simply didn't like much, including the King Kong remake, and the very lame Holiday, a film in which he was not alone in being wasted], but some have their charms. Count this one among them. And, not just for the amusing hook of him and Mos Def making short remakes of films as a result of a plot development that doesn't bear referencing. There is probably less of that than some might like, though more can be found on its website.*
The film comes off somewhat underdeveloped, a bit of a lark (part of the fun too), but it does have something that makes it worth watching. The charm basically comes from the overall theme of the movie -- the importance of community, even one the downward slope urban New Jersey town. There is a good sense of place -- even if it is not always totally really (trying to make those films yourself probably would be rather hard). Danny Glover (his usual low key self, including an amusing bit researching the latest trends in DVD sales), Mia Farrow (nice to get some work) and (in a thankless cameo that leads one to ask why?) Sigourney Weaver also pop up.
The documentary Mos Def makes is also a nice idea as is the use of what appears to be many amateurs for people in the neighborhood. Honestly, I thought Melonie Diaz was one of those amateur actors, but it turns out she has some films -- including one indie where she was a lead -- under her belt. It isn't really fair to fully judge her performance, since everyone here comes off a bit amateurish, but she definitely had some presence. Very cute too. I'd like to see more of her out there in cinema-land.
And, the NYT has a charmed review too. Clearly A.O. Scott liked it too. It is good when reviewers give these little films the respect they deserve.
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* There is also a scene near the end involving a criminal act, treated rather cavalierly, that was probably an ill-advised inclusion.