The 4:30 Movie (2024)

 

So after hearing about the making of this film last year I was intrigued.  Full confession I'm a Kevin Smith fan.  I saw Clerks in 1994 three times and back in 1992 Robert Rodriguez's film El Mariachi set my brain on fire, so when Mr. Smith's film "The 4:30 Movie" was released I had to see it.  In the NYC area there was a show called the 4:30 Movie, which would host an assortment of different movies.  It was on channel 7 WABC NYC.  There would be Planet of the Apes week, or monster week, and a favorite of mine was Godzilla week.  Everything a young boy could imagine and hope for, so I was intrigued by Mr. Smith's film and why he called it "The 4:30 Movie".

What the film is about is sort of a autobiography of Kevin Smith growing up in New Jersey in the Atlantic Highlands neighborhood, and how he became obsessed with movies.  It is a cute story about friends and first loves, which takes us back to 1986.  Kevin does a great job at recreating the era on a very low budget.  He even uses his own movie theater in North Jersey where he grew up.  Back then it was called the Atlantic, but it is now called "Smodcastle Cinemas".  The film is a love letter to movie theaters and filmmaking as well as a throw back to what once was and what was important to Mr. Smith while he was growing up in Northern New Jersey.

The film is filled with crass talk like what teens do as we all did back then when we were young & stupid.  Kevin Smith has a knack for dialogue and he does it so well.  The movie stars Siena Agudong, Austin Zajur, Reed Northrup, & Nicholas Cirillo.  There are other regulars of Mr. Smith's films, but the ones who stand out are Kate Micucci, Ming Chen, and Genesis Rodriguez.  Ms Rodriguez has a scene with Austin Zajur which is very sweet and hopefully puts an idea in other young filmmakers watching this film to become just that filmmakers.  It's an inspiring speech and kind of touched the heart of this old filmmaker, and yes they were inspiring dare I say it.

The film is also about friendship and falling in love.  Call me a hopeless romantic but I liked it and found some redeeming values of the film.  Maybe a bit syrupy in it's sweetness, but Kevin Smith's heart is in the right place, and I don't fault him for the schmalz because it works here.  

I like to comment now about the sh#t that people give Mr. Smith.  The review by the Times is quoted as "effort goes only so far, and “The 4:30 Movie” doesn’t surpass Smith’s usual limitations".  I beg to differ.  It is known that Mr. Smith is working with a limited budget here, but Mr. Smith pulls it off effortlessly and with some class.  I'm not so much an avid fan of some of Smith's films, but lately he's hitting his stride, and I like that his films have a bit emotion in them.  Kevin Smith's films are like a throwback to something a bit more deeper then the profane dialog that is spewed sometimes.  There's something more there, and I'd like to acknowledge that Mr. Smith has grown into a very competent artist.  This movie is just another step into his evolution.  And please stick around to the end Mr. Smith rewards his fans with some more of the View askew universe & also some out-takes which are fun to watch.

I found the movie heartfelt, and a bit of a reminder to all of us that dreams can come true with some hard work and determination, and Mr. Smith all I can say is keep keeping on.  You still inspire.  Thanks Kevin for reminding this old dude that dreams are worth chasing.