THE 4:30 MOVIE
“Movies make life make sense.”
Kevin Smith has forever cemented his name in independent cinema with films like Clerks, Mallrats, and Chasing Amy. He built a universe out of those characters nicknamed the View Askewniverse. His latest film, The 4:30 Movie, is a departure from that universe but one that still feels wholly like a Kevin Smith movie. Lionsgate is proud to release it on 4K, Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital, and I am so grateful to add it to my physical media library. I own a majority of Smith’s films, as they hit a sweet nostalgic spot for me as his early work came out during my prime teen years.
The 4:30 Movie is a semi-autobiographical film for Smith as it’s loosely based on a date he went on coupled with his love of going to the movies with his buddies. Smith sets the film in 1986 with that coming of age tone. Austin Zajur, who resembles a young Kevin Smith, plays Brian who is crushing on his friend, Melody (Siena Agudong). He invites her on a date to go to their local cineplex for the 4:30 movie. Before his date, he plans to spend the day at the theater with his buddies, Belly (Reed Northrup) and Burny (Nicholas Cirillo). Their goal is to pay tickets for the PG-rated film and sneak into the R-rated one and jump from one movie to the next. Their day is not without its hurdles. Ken Jeong plays the maniacal movie theater owner, who is quick to squash any of their shenanigans.
Kevin Smith has an endearing film on his hands for anyone who grew up like these characters. They’re three sixteen-year olds who talk about their favorite movies, sequels, comic book movies, and relationships with girls. It’s funny to hear Smith commenting on the present day state of cinema through these characters set in 1986. Smith gives this that “slice of life” “a day in the teen life” feel without a strong conflict present. If you’re a Smith fan, you’ll hear his tone and distinct voice in the dialogue. It’s fairly tame in a PG-13 fashion compared to his incredibly vulgar R-rated films like the Jay and Silent Bob movies or anything else in the View Askewniverse. Smith fans will want to keep their eye out for fun cameos throughout The 4:30 Movie.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Kevin Smith
Going Home Again: Making The 4:30 Movie
Theatrical Trailer
Here’s a video I made for TikTok
