Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Sanjeev Waters A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Bernie Sauer VHS. VCR. Video. Video Rental.Such were the terminologies when videotapes could be rented, watched, and then returned only to be rented again by your next door neighbor who complained that the tape wasn't rewound at the time of purchase. "Be Kind Rewind" was the annoying slogan plastered on the bulky piece of plastic.In Michel Gondry's radically original flick, two lowly video store clerks are faced with the challenge of not only renting out a dying breed of videotapes but making them as well. There's no way of describing Be Kind Rewind's plot without smirking, but I'll try: Loser drifter, Jerry (played by crazy Jack Black), is accidentally "magnetized" by a nearby electrical plant. On an innocent stroll to the local New Jersey video/thrift store, he accidentally demagnetizes or "clears" all the contents of the videotapes on display. In an effort to save the old shop's business, co-manager, Mike (a composed Mos Def of a more popular reference to rap music), and idiotic Jerry come up with an amazing plan: re-film all the erased videos with themselves as the actors through the lens of a cheap, handy camcorder. I know this sounds stupid, ludicrous, and out of this world, and all three observations are correct. These two characters really are stupid, really believe in their ludicrous plan, and after the first 30 minutes, you realize that you really aren't in Kansas anymore. Mike and Jerry's renditions are so bad, they're hilariously good. Plus, although it may seem chaotic, this film embraces a refreshing outlook: Movies are fun, but they're more fun to make.

studioAT This has become a sort of cult classic in recent times, so I thought i'd give it a watch. What a waste of time that was. It's got a very likable cast, and yet the script isn't that funny, and the film drags, despite actually having quite a short running time in the first place. I went into this film with an open mind, but in the end I didn't find myself caring about any of the characters as they were so thinly written.The central premise is good, but there are just too many moments of dullness that you really don't end up caring whether they save the video shop or not.This will not be a film i'd rush to see again.

chopperlilly I enjoyed this movie, especially the first half. It got a bit cheesy towards the end, but mostly it was good fun. One thing that really bothers me is why they didn't do a spoof of Lethal Weapon? They had Danny Glover in the movie, yet they didn't take advantage of that? I also half expected Sigourney Weaver to make some reference to Ghostbusters (for obvious reasons) when she was making her copyright infringement speech. Another missed opportunity..... I actually think the ideas these two came up with to make spoof copies of the movies, was a very good one, and I too would pay to see that. It's a shame someone wouldn't take the initiative on that and do spoofs of Ghostbusters, Rush Hour etc..... Other than the missed opportunities, it was a good laugh and I would recommend it.

eric262003 Michel Gondry came up with a rather original plot based on facets of creating your videos in the 2008 comedy romp "Be Kind Rewind". The art and skill of DIY films have never looked hotter and Jack Black and Mos Def make this complex task look so easy and fun, I'm sure everyone will be entertained for the next couple of hours. The central plot of the story is about an inept imbecile named Jerry McLean (Black) who becomes magnetized unintentionally expunges all the VHS tapes at a waning video store where his best friend Mike Coolwell (Mos Def) works. To repair the predicament they are in, the duo arbitrarily makes remakes by using themselves and slapdash special effects to they call "Sweding".What comes as shocker is that their moneyless remakes are instant success and that helps the video climb out of a funk. There are other subplots this film is featured that are both good and bad. The weak points are that the film tries hard to cram a lot of issues, but the issues are too much to handle in such little time. Aside from the subject of Sweding, "Be Kind Rewind" concentrates on the financially injured city of Passaic, New Jersey (Detroit's not the only city that is financially injured)and the melting pot of cultural diversity that populates the city. There's also a subplot about a Fats Waller movie in which Jerry, Mike and the neighbourhood collaborate to make due to legal issues. The effort by Gondry is all there, but at times it is way too cramped and some of the material was not completely finished. The remake scenes were not the primary focus of the movie in spite of the title or the sleeve of the movie makes you want to believe. But the scenes involving the Sweding are the best scenes in the movie, especially when half a dozen films get Sweded in one shot. The film succeeds in making the art of Sweding a fun, resourceful and crafty approach to any aspiring filmmaker who lacks in budget, props, costumes and performers and can turn into an overnight success story. It is not hyperbole, it has been done before. If you have what little you can come up with and have that dream about making movies, this film might surprisingly come in handy. Jack Black is in fine comedic tune much like his role in "High Fidelity" and Mos Def may come across as a fool, but his chemistry with Black is quite good as they play off each other quite nicely. Def is quite effective as a performer, but his music is still his main asset. Veteran performers like Danny Glover and Mia Farrow turn in some riveting supporting performances as is Melonie Diaz. Sigourney Weaver also has a cameo here that fit in with the story. Overall a very satisfying story! It was a bit choppy and padded in some areas. In spite of the few awkward moments, it is a very easy flowing story and I highly would recommend this movie to those who love to be entertained.