Movie Review: ‘The 4:30 Movie’
(L to R) Reid Northrup as Bailey, Nicholas Cirillo as Barney, and Austin Zajur as Brian David in the romantic comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
Opening in theaters on September 20 is ‘The 4:30 Movie,’ written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, Reed Northrup, Sienna Agudong, Jason Lee, Kate Micucci, Justin Long, Genesis Rodriguez and Ken Jeong.
Related Article: Director Kevin Smith Talks ‘Clark III’ and Franchise’s Legacy
Initial thoughts
(L to R) Sienna Agudong as Melody Barnegat and Austin Zajur as Brian David in the romantic comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
Moving away from the disjointed horror and almost-nihilistic meta-comedy of his past few films (including the pure despair of his last film ‘Clarks III’), Kevin Smith seems to be in a better mood with ‘The 4:30 Movie’. ‘ is a semi-autobiographical teen comedy that draws heavily from his own early life and finds a sweet spot between his usual cheesy humor and some genuinely sincere coming-of-age romance to keep the film interesting and maybe even attract some people. New visitors to his walled cinematic garden.
Smith’s latest ensemble also benefits from excellent performances by his young cast, which partially resists the natural tendency to park the camera and let scenes drag on for too long. At the same time, he can’t help but include a bunch of his trademark crass humor, and his roster of guest stars from the vast canon of the Vue Ascuniverse can be equal parts confusing, annoying, and funny.
Story and direction
Director/writer Kevin Smith is behind the romantic comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie’, a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
For those of us of a certain age who grew up in the New York/New Jersey area – like Kevin Smith did – “The 4:30 Movie” was a daily after-school ritual. Broadcast on the local ABC-TV affiliate (Channel 7, back in the prehistoric days when you towed a car with cable and streaming was rain that smashed your window), the program fit into a daily 90-minute timeslot that fit both theatrical and made-for-TV movies. The show’s themed weeks, where it would screen five ‘Planet of the Apes’ films or a string of Godzilla features, were an essential part of many grade-schoolers’ film education.
We suspect Smith was a fan of that ‘4:30 Movie’ too, but sadly not the nostalgia his new film ‘The 4:30 Movie’ garners. Instead, the title refers to the showtime of a new R-rated film at the local multiplex in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey (near where Smith grew up) about three friends—film-obsessed Brian (Austin Jazur), ladies’ man Bernie (Nicolas Cirillo), and apparently Dim but observant Bailey (Reed Northrup) – plan to sneak out after paying to see a previously PG movie they’ve seen before. But there’s a new wrinkle in the plan: Brian has also invited his crush Melody (Sienna Agudong). After failing to get to second base (with her encouragement and permission) at her pool last summer, Brian is attracted to Melody and wants to take her on a proper date… a trip with his two best friends.
‘The 4:30 Movie’ takes place in the summer of 1986, right in the middle of Smith’s teenage years, and is clearly inspired by events in his own life (the film was shot at the Cineplex it took place in, which Smith now owns). A loose framework on which to hang a bunch of character interactions and random events, most of which feature regular walk-ons from the likes of Rosario Dawson, Jason Lee, Justin Long, Harley Quinn Smith, and more. And of course ‘Clarks’ stalwarts Jeff Anderson, Brian O’Halloran and Jason Mewes (spoiler alert: they don’t reprise their regular roles here, but the movie is set in the Vue Ascuniverse).
Ken Jeong as Manager Mike in the romantic comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie’, a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
There are plenty of moments, characterizations and jokes in ‘The 4:30 Movie’ that fall flat, just as there are others that are crude or overbearing, self-important multiplex owner manager Mike (Ken Jeong), borderline offensive. But there is a sweetness at the heart of the movie, exemplified by the relationship between Brian and Melody. She is shy, horny and immature, but respectable where it counts, as she is self-possessed, confident, wise beyond her years and eager to be Brian’s girlfriend. Their blossoming romance comes into direct conflict with Brian’s relationship with his two brothers, Barney and Bailey, especially since Barney has a dim view of the female species he hopes to eventually grow into. Circumstances bring the friendship between the three to a head, changing their dynamic in ways they can’t see coming.
These are the best parts of ‘The 4:30 Movie’, where Smith hits some real emotional truth among teenagers who are just beginning to grapple with their feelings and experiences as they mature into adulthood. Smith’s empathy for this, as well as his genuine affection for the time, place, and cultural zeitgeist in which the film is set, make it one of his best movies in recent years. The rest of it – the passive camerawork, the staid composition, the jokes that hang helplessly in the air – are, in a strange way, part of the charm too.
the cast
(L to R) Reed Northrup, Nicholas Cirillo and Austin Zajur in director Kevin Smith’s ‘The 4:30 Movie’. Photo: Saban Films.
Be it the aging semi-professional slackers in ‘Clark III’ or the unhinged lead in ‘Yoga Hosers’, Kevin Smith has a knack for casting people that can sometimes be hard to watch. With ‘The 4:30 Movie’, however, his two leads – Austin Jajur as Brian and Sienna Agudong as Melody – are two of his better choices. Agudong in particular is a potential star who radiates intelligence, charisma and warmth, while Jajur is quite effective as a teenager pulled in different directions as he tries to find himself.
Nick Cirillo and Reed Northrup both show flashes of their own wit and depth as Brian’s friends, with Northrup in particular having a standout scene late in the game. As for the rest of the cast – well, it’s more of a surprise than Ken Jeong managing to pull out some memorable funny lines and even a moment or two of humanity as the otherwise loathsome manager Mike, while Genesis Rodriguez gets a brief spotlight as a box office hit with a secret of his own. Cashier. Everyone else—Smith’s usual friends and team of game players—more or less strolled along.
final thought
(L to R) Reid Northrup as Bailey, Austin Zajur as Brian David and Nicholas Cirillo as Barney in the romantic comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
As we said above, ‘The 4:30 Movie’ may not be a game-changer for Kevin Smith – he might gain a few more viewers for it, but his filmmaking style is what it is, and his fanbase is fairly entrenched when you look at Kevin Smith films. Sit for, you know what you’re going to get, and you’re either open to navigating or not.
Having said that, this movie has a lot more warmth than his last few outings, and while Smith always pours his heart into his films, that heart comes through a bit more clearly here. She describes herself in a long end-credits thank-you list as a “good childhood,” and there are moments many of us can relate to here (including sneaking from PG movies to R-rated movies). I also want to watch a film about “Movie”.
‘The 4:30 Movie’ has 6.5 out of 10 stars.
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Showtimes and tickets
Writer-director Kevin Smith delivers his most personal film to date with this coming-of-age story — set in the summer of 1986 — which follows three sixteen-year-old… Read Plot
What is the plot of ‘The 4:30 Movie’?
Three teenage friends (Austin Jazur, Nicholas Cirillo and Reed Northrup) plan an afternoon out at the local Cineplex in the summer of 1986, but their plans to see a new R-rated movie are thwarted by a pesky theater owner and one. Not to mention a host of other characters — a boy also brings his dream girl to the movie.
Who is in the cast of ‘The 4:30 Movie’?
- Austin Jazur as Brian David
- Nicholas Cirillo as Barney
- Reid Northrup as Bailey
- Sienna Agudong as Melody Barnegat
- Justin Long as Stank
- Jason Lee as Brian’s father
- Kate Micucci as Melody’s mother
- Genesis Rodriguez as Usher
- Ken Jeong as Manager Mike
Director/writer Kevin Smith is behind the romantic comedy, ‘The 4:30 Movie’, a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Ralph Bavaro.
