The 4:30 Movie

It seems Kevin is afraid of himself.

Let me explain, we got a bit of the old Kev back in Clerks III, with great dialogs, tons of laughter and an elegance and profoundness to the lines that rivaled his early work.

It wasn't Red State (by far Smith's undefeated Magnum Opus) but at least it looked like he was starting to come back.

And then we get this movie that while cute, it felt like it was afraid of having an edge. 3 or 4 jokes cut through but the rest? Geez...

There's only so much that cameos can do if you don't have anything to say. And Kevin Smith does t seem to have anything important to say... or he's afraid to say anything at all.

Does he think they're going to mock him? Does he think the audience will not "get it"?

He was on his way to be a great writer and a great filmmaker, and for the most part I think he still can be. But he needs to get out of his own way, dig deep and say what he really wants to say.

That or he ran out of things to talk about because he has been podcasting for more than a decade.

Watch the movie for completionism. But that's about it.

"4:30" is Kevin Smith's latest addition to his filmography, and it presents an interesting mix of elements that might leave audiences divided. The film revolves around its leads, who, while undoubtedly central to the narrative, come off as insufferable at times. It's a shame that Smith seems to struggle with creating truly likable characters, especially when compared to his earlier works where his characters resonated deeply with audiences.

In contrast, where "4:30" truly shines is in its side characters. These supporting roles inject much-needed charm and depth into the movie, saving it from becoming a complete letdown. It's in these moments and interactions that the film finds its rhythm and provides some enjoyable and watchable scenes.

While "4:30" may not reach the same heights as some of Smith's earlier classics, it still manages to surpass the last few lackluster entries in his filmography. There's a sense of improvement evident in this movie, a glimmer of the filmmaker revisiting his strengths and rediscovering what made his earlier works so beloved.

Despite its flaws, "4:30" offers a glimpse of Smith returning to form, albeit with some hiccups along the way. The pacing, dialogue, and character development may not be as polished as fans would hope for, but there's a raw honesty to the storytelling that is hard to ignore.

In conclusion, "4:30" is a mixed bag. While the leads may come across as insufferable and the writing lacking its past charm, the film is buoyed by strong performances from its side characters and an overall improvement in quality compared to Smith's recent endeavors. It might not be a perfect movie, but it shows promise and hints at a potential return to form for the filmmaker. With a rating of 5/10 stars, "4:30" is worth a watch for fans of Kevin Smith, but it may leave some wishing for more of the magic that defined his earlier works.

Iconic writer / director Kevin Smith's '80s-based autobiographical "The 4:30 Movie" (prequelling his "Clerks" trilogy) spans a pivotal day in teen Austin Zajur's life that doesn't run smooth after he planned spending it with buds Reed Northrup & Nicholas Cirillo (and crush Siena Agundong) at douche Ken Jeong's cinema. Its light dramedy is laced with ample movie-nerd references, fun fake film trailers, and cameos from Smith faves like Justin Long, Rosario Dawson, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Jason Biggs, & Harley Quinn Smith (his daughter). While not matching the similarly themed "I Like Movies", Smith fans (including all fellow cinephiles, right?) will for sure adore it.

The film starts and ends with a very, very weak "rom com" storyline. In total, this accounts for perhaps 15-20 minutes of the film's total run time. In between that, there's a good hour+ of just pointless, repetitive 80s references and "jokes" related to the future. The base "rom com" storyline isn't really very interesting or engaging, but that's really a minor aspect of the film.

Imagine... You travel back to 1986... and make as many statements that will prove to be inaccurate in 40 years... That's the BULK of this film.

While there's a very weak base story, most of the film is just trying to crack jokes about things that will eventually be proven true after 1986... example "There'll never be another Star Wars. Can you imagine.. they make tv series based on minor characters?!?" Those kind of "jokes". Only POSSIBLY slightly amusing because anyone watching this film would know different. They aren't "jokes" or "funny" in themselves.

The film is a series of repetitive 80s references, using only the most prominent trends of the 80s that were annoying then -- and in EVERY conversation, multiple times -- seems Smith was hard-pressed to write a single line of dialog that wasn't either referencing the 80s or miserably attempting some "joke" based solely on some future truism.

This appears to be a film targeted at 13-15 year olds.. who will miss all the (way overused) 80s references and, once in a blue moon, MIGHT find the statements about the future amusing.. but that's stretching things.

Oddest thing was the reference to needing to be 18 years old to see an R rated film.. That's never been true. It's always been 17, not 18. It states it right in the MPAA rating screen at the beginning of a film. All my life it's been 17.. and I'm the same age as Smith. Really? I mean Smith is in the film industry and he gets this wrong?? Kind of shows how much thought was put into the script.

I didn't find this film funny or even slightly amusing in ANY way... and it wasn't that interesting. This is quite possibly Kevin Smith's worst film ever. I typically love Kevin Smith films. I'll NEVER sit through this one again.

----- Pass ------

I really enjoyed this movie. The cast is a mix of unexpectedly good newcomers and funny cameos from regulars in Kevin's movies. There is a sweet side to the story that we haven't seen from Kevin since Jersey Girl and it works.

Austin Zajur gives a performance way above what you would expect and the cast has great chemistry.

I was lucky enough to get to watch this movie with Kevin at his place and it was an amazing evening. I'm going to see it again this weekend on the big screen.

The movie isn't drawn out or heavy and it is a great time. Highly recommended for anyone who grew up in that era or wished they did.