Communal commitment to a DIY aesthetic is [Gondry's] undoing, particularly when he allows an irritatingly manic Jack Black to run wild and virtually hijack the movie.
Comment
02/22/08
Be Kind Rewind (2008)
65
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:124
Fresh:81
Rotten:43
Average Rating:6.3/10
Australian Theatrical Release:
Mar 20, 2008 Wide
US Box Office: $11,028,439
Synopsis: Music-video-director-turned-auteur Michel Gondry continues to charm with his low-tech offering, BE KIND REWIND. Set in dreary Passaic, New Jersey, the comedy centers on two of the town's residents:... [More]
Reviews for Be Kind Rewind
Long before the movie ends, it slips right off the sprockets.
02/22/08
Be Kind Rewind declares that the riches of cinema history touch each of us personally. Films become so deep a part of us that we own them that our memories of them, whether faithful or fanciful, become their meanings.
02/22/08
It's hard to tell which is the work of art, the audience or the movie. Because they are both so beautiful.
02/22/08
Give Be Kind Rewind a little time and an open mind, and it just might grow on you. Its premise is absurd, but adorably so.
02/22/08
Thick stew of awful.
02/22/08
A celebration of the DIY aesthetic, and of the universal appeal of movies, Be Kind Rewind is a charmingly off-the-wall little tale.
02/22/08
A celebration of the DIY aesthetic, and of the universal appeal of movies, Be Kind Rewind is a charmingly off-the-wall little tale.
02/22/08
If it isn't up to his Oscar-winning Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, it at least has Jack Black and Mos Def around for laughs.
02/22/08
the visual wit, game performances, and overflowing humanity have more than made up for the shortcomings by the time the film finds a final moment that's simultaneously abrupt and magical.
02/22/08
Michel Gondry doesn't understand -- or, perhaps, even care about -- the normal niceties of plausible plotting, thematic structure or satisfying character development. But he does understand joy.
02/22/08
It’s inviting, undemanding and altogether wonderful. You’ll want to see it again, or at least Swede it yourself.
02/22/08
Top CriticA surprisingly sweet comedy showcasing a manic Jack Black.
02/22/08
A feel-good film with a gentle comic spirit, a sweet affection for its gallery of silly characters and a sincere love for the process of moviemaking.
02/22/08
Loopy, goofy and endearing.
02/22/08
Eminently likable. And there's something about Gondry's persistent nostalgia that feels contemporary, or opportune, at least.
02/22/08
Top CriticWhimsy overwhelms this sweetly innocuous tribute to DIY video - which is hobbled enough by its core premise of guys shooting their own versions of popular movies on VHS.
02/22/08
A charming picture about filmmaking all dressed up as a comedy. Exaggerated and wonderfully silly, the movie concerns hilarious amateur movie-making -- but sneaks in a message about community and the transformative power of art.
02/22/08
It's a joyless ode to joy, it's a leaden salute to the silver screen, it's a painful testament to filmic pleasures. Be kind, and don't even begin to rewind.
02/22/08
There's an undeniable sense of wonder to Be Kind Rewind, a belief in both the beauty of the creative process and the magic within all men. It's an unabashed ode to common potential; it's also a lot of fun to watch.
02/22/08
Latest News for Be Kind Rewind
June 25, 2008:
A people's cinema rough cut heart so squarely in the right place over in Passaic as opposed to Hollywood, that it's pretty much hard to resist. 
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June 16, 2008:
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March 05, 2008:
UK Box Office Breakdown: Slow Week Sees Bank Job Claim No.1
A slow week at the box office allowed Jason Statham's The Bank Job to sneak into first place in the UK charts. Meanwhile Rambo, Cloverfield and Alvin and the Chipmunks all... More...
February 29, 2008:
UPDATED: UK Box Office Breakdown: Odeon Snubs Rambo
Jumper holds on to the number one spot at the UK box office, but only because a dispute between Sony and Odeon kept the film of the cinema chain's 100+ screens. More...
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