Be Kind Rewind

New Line Cinema | Release Date: February 22, 2008

6.7	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 155 Ratings

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User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

TonyR-SMar 2, 2008

Being a big fan of "Eternal Sunshine...", this was a big letdown. Great concept, but disappointing performances and a thinly stretched plot. Gondry can do so much better.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

rbeeFeb 21, 2008

To Chris T: The highest individual score at the time of this posting is a 70, which is still the equivalent of a D+ student getting lucky on the final exam. I'm not saying it was a horrible movie, but look at the numbers. Ten reviews, To Chris T: The highest individual score at the time of this posting is a 70, which is still the equivalent of a D+ student getting lucky on the final exam. I'm not saying it was a horrible movie, but look at the numbers. Ten reviews, averaged: 70, 67, 63, 63, 60, 50, 50, 40, 40, 30 = 533/10 = 53. Even without a weight bias that's a strong failing grade. Personally I was very disappointed with the movie; Gondry has been acting experimental lately and while the film has a good heart, its cliched raising-money-for-charity storyline is far below his standard of work, no matter how creative the actual scenes may be.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

TimBoMar 10, 2008

Being 19 I cant help but think that this is a vivid rip-off of BlockBlister... a skit from the children's variety show "All That" about 10 years ago.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

RKFeb 1, 2009

A very average film with some chuckles here and there and one hilarious scence when they are trying to break into a shop, but other than that pretty disappointing. Expected much more from such an excellent comedian as Jack Black.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

ChadS.Feb 22, 2008

When people from this dying vicinage in New Jersey stop being mere spectators of Mike's homemade films and begin to participate in its production, "Be Kind Rewind" reveals itself to be a sly send-up of American life. According to most When people from this dying vicinage in New Jersey stop being mere spectators of Mike's homemade films and begin to participate in its production, "Be Kind Rewind" reveals itself to be a sly send-up of American life. According to most Europeans, people who reside stateside, have no organic culture; our shared experience is formed by popular culture. By evoking the filmic tradition of Italian neorealism(real people shot in real locations), it's suggested that these no-budget remakes of major studio fare are cultural byproducts of the lazy and passive American, people who waste their entire lives endlessly staring at a screen(or a talking box), watching other people's stories(rather than creating their own); that's the pitiful withdrawal from their memory banks; their collective reminiscing of a beloved film. Finally, when the motley film crew get the desist from shooting order by Hollywood copyright lawyers(read: Mussolini regime), Jerry(Jack Black) and Mike(Mos Def) stop being image thieves, and start production on their own "Bicycle Thieves"(Original French title: "Ladri di biciclette"), a quasi-documentary about a jazz great from New Jersey(not Harlem; perhaps, this is an oblique reference to how Americans are bad at geography). "Be Kind Rewind" is too weird to be simply a film about the death of the VHS format. Since it's a period piece(around 1999?), allusions to "You Tube", or other current narcissistic forms of "artistic" expression might not be applicable.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

mikew.Feb 22, 2008

I saw it at Sundance with an enthusiastic crowd. That helped. The plot lines and motivations of characters are pretty thin. You just say, "Huh?" But if you buy into it, it is a funny, goofy film. It's campy, so go enjoy it. Just I saw it at Sundance with an enthusiastic crowd. That helped. The plot lines and motivations of characters are pretty thin. You just say, "Huh?" But if you buy into it, it is a funny, goofy film. It's campy, so go enjoy it. Just don't pay attention to the plot.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

MichaelE.Feb 24, 2008

More a great concept than a great story, and one that definitely could've benefited from NOT having the ever-annoying Jack Black in it, but Gondry is an interesting director and the theme, pitting the charming incompetence of DIY More a great concept than a great story, and one that definitely could've benefited from NOT having the ever-annoying Jack Black in it, but Gondry is an interesting director and the theme, pitting the charming incompetence of DIY against the soulless slickness of studio product, is enough to carry it through to the end, if just barely.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

JohnB.Mar 1, 2008

Gondry uses this film to justify his own non-conforming direction. He makes the case that film can bring people together regardless of how good it is while we watch the remaking of movies erased by Jerry and ultimately the final movie that Gondry uses this film to justify his own non-conforming direction. He makes the case that film can bring people together regardless of how good it is while we watch the remaking of movies erased by Jerry and ultimately the final movie that brings the whole community together. Minor issues touched by this movie include the divide yet ultimate unity between races, the sense of belonging in the world, and progression coming up against older ideals. I felt as if there was a lot of potential for some really great stuff but the first two thirds really were a mess. It wasn't until the the final third of this movie that Gondry's intentions became realized. Overall, the players played their parts well but definitely took some risks that didn't pay off. I would have liked to have seen Gondry expand some of his ideas and take this film more seriously because there was a lot of potential that wasn't met.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

HelenF.Apr 6, 2008

First 2/3 of Movie dire and I was about to leave. Jack Black is rubbish, but the last part of the film- the making of the black & white movie was a cinema treasure not to be missed, so go late or just watch the final bit on DVD!

0 of 1 users found this helpful

rotkuJun 21, 2012

Poor comedy movie, with only a few moments worth a chuckle but with little else going for it and a waste of some good acting talent. The ridiculous, unbelievable plot line certainly doesn't help.