Mini Movie Review - Be Kind Rewind

I had high hopes going into Be Kind Rewind, and it managed to exceed them across the board. I expected it to be funny. It was exceptionally funny. I expected it to be quirky. It was fantastically quirky. I expected it to be original. It was exceedingly so. What more could you ask for?

How did it accomplish all these things? First it had Jack Black to provide the bulk of the humor. Black plays his typical out of touch, mildly retarded, slightly narcissistic character, but succeeds in staying just in reach of believability. Black’s buffoon is balanced out by Mos Def’s heartfelt optimist who brings much-needed heart to the film. Michel Gondry’s writing and directing brings the quirk and originality, with its unconventional story, and imaginative use of props. The use of props is a direct result of the movie’s introduction and heavy use of Sweding.

Sweding is taking something you like and remaking it using whatever you have at hand. Creativity in materials is a key component of Sweding. For example, here’s the official trailer for the film:

Now here’s Gondry’s Sweded version:

Nothing could sum up Sweding, or the quirky humor of Be Kind Rewind better. So, if you want to see a truly original, fun, and charming film, go see it. If not, wait for Transformers II.

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