The Films of Michel Gondry

Human Nature

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Dave Chappelle's Block Party

The Science of Sleep

Be Kind Rewind (February 19/08)

While there's little doubt that Michel Gondry's inherently low-rent sensibilities have been growing more and more problematic with each successive effort, Be Kind Rewind takes his increasingly unpleasant do-it-yourself modus operandi to an entirely new level of ugliness. The subsequent degree to which Gondry squanders a decent premise and a talented cast is staggering, as the movie inevitably becomes as amateurish and eye-rollingly silly as the central characters' no-budget efforts. Jack Black stars as Jerry, a quirky oddball who inadvertently magnetizes his brain during a sabotage operation and accidentally destroys every single tape in his friend's (Mos Def's Mike) video store. Along with the help of a few buddies (including Melonie Diaz's Alma and Mia Farrow's Miss Falewicz), Jerry and Mike set out to remake each of the shop's movies using an outdated camcorder and a whole mess of chintzy props. Admittedly, Gondry does a nice job of establishing the small yet friendly neighborhood inhabited by the various characters - infusing the film's early scenes with an intimate, Spike Lee-esque sort of vibe that is eventually (and woefully) replaced by an emphasis on gimmickry. Once Jerry and Mike start producing their shoddy versions of films like Ghostbusters, Robocop, and Rush Hour 2, Be Kind Rewind essentially morphs into a hopelessly implausible wish-fulfillment fantasy - as Gondry envisions a utopian urban landscape in which this close-knit community bands together and battles the evil corporation that wants to tear down Mike's video store. It's patently ridiculous stuff and - overlooking the completely inane concept of people willingly paying money to watch glorified home movies - the lack of subtlety with which Gondry has imbued the latter half of the proceedings ensures that the film is ultimately an extraordinarily tough slog indeed.