The 4:30 Movie, 2024.
Written and Directed by Kevin Smith.
Starring Siena Agudong, Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, Reed Northrup, Ken Jeong, Sam Richardson, Genesis Rodriguez, Justin Long, Jason Lee, Rachel Dratch, Kate Micucci, Adam Pally, Harley Quinn Smith, Method Man, Logic, Diedrich Bader, Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson, Jason Biggs, Betty Aberlin, Evelyn Giovine, Michelle Santiago, Morgan Bluestein, Aaron Shuf, Ralph Garman, Brian O’Halloran, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, Ernest O’Donnell, Ming Chen, Jenny Mollen, Meredith Starkman, and Benjamin Read.
SYNOPSIS:
In the summer of 1986, three sixteen-year-old friends spent their Saturdays sneaking into movies at the local multiplex. But when one of the guys also invites the girl of his dreams to see the latest comedy, each of the teens learns more about life and love.
The 4:30 Movie is a vehicle for writer/director Kevin Smith to do two things: tell a sweet coming-of-age romance in which nearly all of its characters are obsessed with movies, and cram in as many jokes as humanly possible about things that have actually gone on to happen in the future of movies. If the film had remained fixated on that first option, there might have been something worth recommending here, but as is, it feels like an excessive indulgence into all things movies in ways that hardly ever meaningfully service the plot or characters (a throwaway character mentions Martha Coolidge being an inspiration to get into directing, and that’s about it.)
This movie spends at least half of its short 76-minute running time (not counting the ending credits, which somehow account for a full 10 minutes) inside a movie theater, giving the full package of fake trailers and scenes from equally corny-looking movies that feel completely at odds with what these characters do like to watch and the otherwise grounded nature of the storytelling. More than anything, it feels like an excuse to squeeze in as many cameos as possible from Kevin Smith’s regular collaborators.
As for why the three teen best friends Brian (Austin Zajur), Burny (Nicholas Cirillo), and Belly (Reed Northrup) are at a movie theater all day, which, by the way, happens to be managed by an uptight and condescending man obsessed with his car and expressing disgust toward patrons (played by Ken Jeong), it is because Brian has finally found the courage to ask his crush Melody Barnegat (Siena Agudong) out on a date after getting cold feet a year ago when they were swimming together with her encouraging him to get to second base. In that aspect, there is a sense of how this is another personal story Kevin Smith is passionate about conveying; it’s romantic about love and movies and how often the two intertwine.
Before moving on, it must be stated that if you take a shot every time someone says Melody Barnegat, you will be dead by the time this movie ends, even if it is short. For some reason, even the characters who don’t like her feel the need to say her full name constantly. It’s meant to convey how special a person she is and put the character on a pedestal, but good God, it gets ridiculous to hear after about 15 minutes. Nevertheless, Brian and Melody (I’m done typing out her full name; I don’t need it stuck in my head any longer) have agreed to watch a fictional detective movie based on a series of books her mother (Kate Micucci) reads, and although she is disappointed that he stopped talking to her for a year, is willing to hear what he has to say about it and his insecurities.
After roughly 10 minutes of characterization, the three friends arrive at the movie theater early to hang out and have some repeat watches. Naturally, they each have different personalities from one another, with Burny being a confidently cocky womanizer and Belly serving as the dimwitted one who, not so similar to a certain popular Kevin Smith character, does have something smart to say when the time is right.
It also becomes clear that what Kevin Smith really wants to do with The 4:30 Movie is recreate a day at the cinemas in the 1980s, which might have been more effective if the film had been allowed to use real trailers or footage from real movies. The look of the theater is credible enough (apparently, it is a cinema Kevin Smith owns.) Some colorful characters get a few laughs and give some insight as to the types of people who might have worked there back in the day, such as an emo employee (Adam Pally making sure no youth sneak into R-rated movies, but Kevin Smith also seems less interested in this and more about the shenanigans he can get these characters into in which mostly just amounts to stalling time and dragging the movie along until it’s time for Melody to arrive.
Unsurprisingly, the friends begin to clash about some things, with Brian’s crush on Melody being the center of that. Even though it all leads to a charming conclusion, it’s not enough to take away that far too much of The 4:30 Movie is concerned with making every cringe joke possible about the future of movies and time-wasting subplots.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
Originally published September 11, 2024. Updated September 12, 2024.
