The 4:30 Movie (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – A group of teens in the 1980s spend the day theater-hopping.

My Take – Whether you love him or hate him, as a filmmaker, actor, comedian, public speaker, comic book writer, author, and podcaster Kevin Smith has had an interesting career to say the least.

Ever since his self-financed indie debut, Clerks, released back in 1994, Smith has gained fame for being a pioneer of independent film making and his unconventional techniques of how he mainly edits his own films, casts his friends and family members, and keeps his loyal fan base updated on every project he is working on, his brand and what he loves to do.

Yet, even a fan can admit that his filmography over the years has been a mix set of hits and misses. Like for example, for every Clerks (1994) and Chasing Amy (1997) there is a Cop Out (2010) and Yoga Hosers (2016) to negate.

Then there are absolute gems that don’t get enough attention like the hysterical Clerks II (2006) and the somber Clerks III (2022), of course not to forget his forte into the horror-genre, Red State (2011) and Tusk (2014), which remain criminally underrated.

His latest though, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy, is somewhat of a mid-tier engagement, something on the lines of Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), both heartwarming and delightful, but also forgettable at the same time.

Loosely based on Smith‘s experiences sneaking into movie theaters as a teenager and filmed almost entirely at SModcastle Cinema, Smith’s childhood movie theater that he purchased and re-branded in 2022, the film, like most coming of age stories, is sprinkled with familiar clichés like teenage fantasies, awkward adult encounters, and the realization of one’s passions.

And like every Kevin Smith feature it is also laced with ample movie-nerd references, contains fun fake film trailers, and sees cameos from his favorites like Justin Long, Rosario Dawson, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Jason Biggs, and his daughter Harley Quinn Smith. But together it never reaches the same heights as some of his earlier classics.

Yes, there’s a sense of improvement evident, a glimmer of the filmmaker revisiting his strengths and rediscovering what made his earlier works so beloved, but the pacing, humor and the character development needed a lot more polish. Nevertheless, despite its flaws, there’s a raw honesty to the storytelling that is hard to ignore.

Set in the summer of 1986 New Jersey, the story follows Brian David (Austin Zajur), a sixteen-year-old nerd, who calls up his crush Melody Barnegat (Siena Agudong) to invite her to the movies. While Brian and Melody shared a kiss the year prior, it took him a long time to work up the courage to ask her out. They agree to meet at the local theater for the four-thirty showing of a R rated feature when she says yes.

But Brian has no intention of going into a date without backup, so he enlists his two best friends Belly (Reed Northup) and Burnie (Nicholas Cirillo) to spend the day at the local theater with him. Their plan is to buy tickets to one film before spending the day hopping between films without leaving the building.

But their plans for slacking attract the ire of Manager Mike (Ken Jeong), who becomes determined to find the boys and kick them out for good. But what would be an inconvenience on any other day becomes a catastrophic problem for Brian, who feels like his entire world will implode if he isn’t able to stay in the theater long enough to meet Melody.

As he navigates the chaos of his idiot friends, his embarrassing parents (Jason Lee and Rachel Dratch), a manager who hates him, and his date’s overbearing mother (Kate Micucci), he learns a few things about himself in the process.

In typical Smith style, this is very much a story from the heart, remixing personal experiences in cinematic form. As one would expect, the film is jam-packed with 80s nostalgia, with a reference or joke about the period coming every other sentence.

The styles, the lingo, and the technology just seem to point us back to better days. Even the opening scene of a phone conversation between Brian and Melody where they establish their date plans to attend the 4:30 pm show together is sweetly handled, all doused in syrupy ’80s small town sincerity. Admittedly, it relies a little too much on this nostalgia for its humor, but that doesn’t take away from the fun.

That is until the three young leads head to the cinema. Followed by which the aimless narrative never feels scrappily charming as it should and the comedy largely falls flat.

Even the whole comic potential of the boys sneaking in and out of films, evading the manager, and getting up to no good feels largely unfulfilled. Where the film truly shines, despite masturbation jokes, plentiful profanity, and some sexual content, is in its authenticity.

The love story feels personal, sweet and vulnerable, told with a unique voice that only vintage Kevin Smith could have pulled off. The banter and chemistry between Brian and Melody reminds you of those truly charming, flirtatious interactions from his earlier films, particularly Chasing Amy.

And while the central conflict between Brian and Burny isn’t executed properly, there’s just enough to make you care about these two staying friends.

It helps that performances from the young cast, especially Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo and Reed Northrup feels natural and fresh, and the group’s chemistry feels believable from beginning to end.

However, much better than the three guys is Siena Agudong, who makes Melody feel like a real teenage girl despite being an idealized near-fantasy woman for Brian. Ken Jeong too is a highlight as the theater manager, who acts as the sort-of villain, or at least the foil.

Genesis Rodgriguez, Adam Pally, Harley Quinn Smith, Justin Long, Kate Micucci, Jason Biggs, Rachel Dratch, Jason Lee, Sam Richardson and Rosario Dawson, appear in cameos and are delightful. On the whole, ‘The 4:30 Movie‘ is a decent coming age of comedy that is pleasant enough, especially if you’re a Kevin Smith fan.