I think it’s obvious that John Hughes has influenced Kevin Smith’s career in many ways. You can see it in the way his characters interact, the comical situations they find themselves in, and the personal struggles they face dealing with identity and the fear of growing up. But The 4:30 Movie is the first time that Smith has ever made a movie that actually feels like a John Hughes movie. And it just so happens to be pulled from his memories of being a teen, dealing with some of those aforementioned fears, and hanging out with friends at his favorite spot in the world: the local movie theater.
Now, if you’re a Smith die-hard like I am, you’re probably saying to yourself that many of his movies are personal and semi-autobiographical in some way. Sure, but The 4:30 Movie is when Smith finally feels comfortable enough to create an analogue of himself, with an eye towards the filmmaker he will be in the future. Shot primarily in a single location, which happens to be the New Jersey movie theater Smith owns, this teen comedy features an empty Rolodex of the director’s closest real-life celebrity friends, in roles both large and small. The list of cameos is a mile long and a lot of fun. Sometimes it feels less like a movie production and like one big party celebrating all of the people and places that Smith cherishes most.
There IS a story to be told, loose though it might be. Set in the summer of 1986, the film follows Smith stand-in Brian David (Austin Zajur) on the phone with his longtime crush, Melody (Siena Agudong), heating up a doughnut in the oven, chatting her up, and building the courage to finally ask her out on a date. To his shock, his wish comes true and she accepts an invitation to join him for the 4:30 showing of a fictional R-rated detective movie at the local movie theater, his favorite hangout spot.
In fact, the plan for Brian is to spend the entire day hanging out at the movies with his pals, horny heartthrob Burny (Nicholas Cirillo) and the quietly observant Belly (Reed Northrup). Nothing is set in stone, though, because the day is going to be full of wacky hijinks, strange encounters, and frequent run-ins with the mean, Hollywood-aspiring theater manager (Ken Jeong) who just loves to ban kids from his establishment. The threat of getting kicked out looms around every corner, and it isn’t helped by Brian’s mom (Rachel Dratch) who won’t stop dialing the theater telephone to check on him, or the pretentious goth ticket taker (Adam Pally), or Burny’s unchecked sex drive. That date with Melody is looking more tenuous by the minute.
Stitching these plot beats together are movie vignettes satirizing films from the era, including rapper Logic as Astro Blaster in a Flash Gordon-style sci-fi adventure, and Smith’s daughter Harley Quinn Smith as Sister Sugar Walls, a sort of white nun blaxploitation action flick. Most of these clips are really enjoyable, especially the Sugar Walls killer nun stuff, but occasionally they intrude when you want the plot to keep on moving forward. Guest stars pop up everywhere, including Sam Richardson as the Sgt. Slaughter-esque pro wrestler Major Murder, plus Justin Long, Method Man, Kate Micucci, Genesis Rodriguez, Rosario Dawson, Diedrich Bader, and of course, old pals Jason Mewes, Brian O’Halloran, and Jeff Anderson. It wouldn’t be a Kevin Smith movie without them. Unlike when Adam Sandler makes big-budget studio movies as a cover to hang out with his buddies, Smith’s low-budget efforts feel like a group bonding experience. Everybody’s just there to have a good time and help Smith make his project a reality. That kind of feeling is infectious.
The young cast is all really strong and since most are largely unknown, they bring a freshness that can’t be replicated. Brian, Belly, and Burny act like best buds who know one another too well, both for good and bad. They crack jokes, fight one another’s battles, but also fight like teens who know how to hit someone where it hurts. And like so many male friendships, the arrival of a female love interest threatens to tear the crew apart. Smith has explored this territory before with adults and his insights are similar here.
The 4:30 Movie isn’t particularly deep, but it’s honest. Smith has always been at his best the more honest he is with his audience. Cut through the crass humor, the movie parodies, the stoner antics, and what you’ll find is Smith staying true to himself and to his fans. While the film is mostly a bunch of silly comedic riffs stretched across a brisk 90-minutes, quiet moments of simple human connection shine through. Brian, a lover of movies who has yet to discover his future talent for making them, has his eyes opened to this possibility through a conversation with Melody, walking and talking about their hopes and plans. Even when the buddies break down and squabble, as boys often will do, what emerges is understanding (Northrop is fantastic in this scene, too) of how much they actually meant to one another.
I’ve always said the best Kevin Smith movies are the ones he essentially makes for himself and his friends. While obviously deeply felt, they are surprisingly universal in their own way. Smith’s films have matured as he has matured. His recent masterpiece Clerks III was influenced by Smith’s heart attack, and as someone of a similar age who has had his own brush with death, it led to a similar reflection of my life. The 4:30 Movie continues Smith’s reflection on his life, and it’s one of the most enjoyable, easily accessible movies he’s ever made, and you can tell he loved every minute of making it.
The 4:30 Movie opens in theaters on September 13th.
