not horrible nor great

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Two bumbling store clerks inadvertently erase the footage from all of the tapes in their video rental store. In order to keep the business running, they re-shoot every film in the store with their own camera, with a budget of zero dollars. Despite some good intentions and Black's and Def's chemistry and perfomances 'Be Kind Rewind' showcases how bad it is to remake certain films when on the same time it's humor never lands and the overall pacing is terrible. Overall a disappointing film that doesn't hold up that well as i remembered. (4.5/10)

It is truly perplexing that such a brilliant and heartwarming little movie is so severely underrated. The fact that the IMDb score is under a 7.0 is beyond me, and I wish this film got the exposure and praise it so deeply deserves.Stripped of any possible cynicism, this is an enchanting story focusing on the pleasures of making, watching, and sharing movies. Fans of the cinema will most likely be able to share the excitement the likable protagonists feel as they bumble along this hilarious and occasionally heartwarming odyssey through the world of amateur filmmaking. The premise of this movie within itself is of such quality that it seems nearly impossible for it to craft a movie that is anything less than awesome. Be Kind Rewind manages to not only be awesome, but also a cheerful reminder of how movies can really be magic. Without the doomful forces of the Hollywood system tormenting them, the independent artists at the center of this work are able to make their own mini masterpieces that encapsulate an underground charm that makes me both feel amusement and warmth. Michel Gondry shoots the film with his trademark stylistic lens in a way that captures the story's joyous material with near perfection. The acting is also fantastic as Jack Black serves as the movie's main source of humor, and Mos Def is charming as the man trying to chaperon his slightly loony but spectacularly ambitious sidekick as he, too, soon is seduced by the miraculous powers of filmmaking.Anyone who often plunges into cinematic shores and enjoys a good laugh, as well as the occasional tear, must dive right in to this charming comedy that is full of heart and laughs.

Mike works at a video rental store in Passaic, New Jersey and is put in charge when his boss, Mr. Fletcher, takes some time off. Mr Fletcher leaves just one instruction… don't let Mike's friend Jerry into the shop. Jerry is somewhat paranoid and believes the nearby electrical substation is part of some sinister mind-control plot and decides to sabotage it; he fails but ends up magnetised. He doesn't realise this when he barges into the video shop and starts rearranging the tapes… leading to them all being deleted! Soon afterwards a customer, Miss Falewicz, returns her copy of 'Ghost Busters; complaining that the tape is blank. Mike tries to get a copy from a rival shop but has no luck; they've all switched to DVD. Jerry has a plan; Miss Falewicz has never seen the film so why don't they just remake it themselves… the idea is ridiculous but they have no other choice. Soon afterwards a second customer returns his copy of 'Rush Hour 2' so they remake that too, helped by Alma, a local woman, to take the female part. Soon their remakes are achieving cult status. Jerry tells people that these special films cost far more than usual videos as they use materials imported from Sweden. By the time Mr Fletcher returns these 'Sweded' films are making more money than the originals… not everything is good though; the town council want to demolish his store and the Federal authorities have got word of their unofficial remakes and demands their destruction. They decide to make one last film; a biopic of jazz legend Fats Waller who, Mr Fletcher had been telling people, was born in the building.When I sat down to watch this I wasn't sure if it would be good silly fun or just silly… thankfully it turned out to be funny. It took a while to get going; early on Jack Black's Jerry was a bit too annoying and Mos Def's Mike wasn't that funny. Once they started making their 'Sweded' films things improved notably; these were very funny, especially if one was familiar with the film they were remaking. Other cast members are pretty solid; most notably Melonie Diaz, who plays Alma, Danny Glover as Mr Fletcher and Mia Farrow as Miss Falewicz. The film's conclusion is rather touching and avoids the expected cop-out. Overall I enjoyed this more than I expected and would recommend it for anybody looking for some silly fun without any offensive material.

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.