As a long-time fan of Kevin Smith’s work, I must say that his latest creation, “The 4:30 Movie,” is a heartwarming masterpiece that resonates deeply with me. Having grown up with the characters from “Clerks” and following their journey through Smith’s films, it was an emotional rollercoaster to see where Brian and his friends ended up four decades later.
Today sees the unveiling of Kevin Smith’s newest creation, “The 4:30 Movie,” which, based on current trends, could be his most critically acclaimed directorial work since “Chasing Amy” in 1997 according to Rotten Tomatoes. This film is an embodiment of what I like to call Kevin Smith’s “Phase Three.” Given Smith’s status as a pop culture geek par excellence, it’s fitting to analyze the developments in his work using the “phases” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe he admires so deeply. Over the past few years, the movies credited to Kevin Smith have shown remarkable thematic consistency.
Smith’s initial stage involved the development and expansion of the View Askewniverse, his own interconnected universe that kicked off with the 1994 movie, “Clerks,” and encompasses approximately a dozen films. Notably, these films all include characters Jay and Silent Bob. Moving on to our discussion point, Smith’s subsequent stage can be considered the period from the premiere of “Clerks II” (2006) up until “Jay & Silent Bob Reboot” (2019). During this time, Smith primarily worked on standalone or semi-standalone projects such as “Red State,” “Tusk,” “The Flash,” and “Supergirl.
Kevin Smith’s recent creative period, initiated by the movie “Reboot”, marks a revisit to the world of the View Askewniverse, but with an entirely distinct – and thus far, cohesive – ideology. Essentially, Smith’s latest works exude sincerity. The films “Jay & Silent Bob Reboot” and “Clerks III” are brimming with self-awareness, self-parody, and fan appreciation. This isn’t unprecedented for Smith, but the way he’s employing these elements in this phase appears to be more sophisticated than before.
Notably, Smith has been confronting his own impending death since his heart attack in 2018. This theme was addressed head-on in “Clerks III“, where it all began when Randal Graves suffered a heart attack. It was Randal’s encounter with mortality that sparked his desire to become a filmmaker, resulting in an on-screen depiction of the behind-the-scenes story of the original “Clerks“.
On a budget of approximately $35,000, which he raised by maxing out his credit cards, selling his comic book collection, and cashing an insurance policy after his car was totaled, Smith produced Clerks in less than a month during 1993. It’s no surprise that the risk proved to be worthwhile, as it catapulted him into the limelight as an indie film sensation. Riding the wave of ’90s independent cinema, Smith joined the ranks of Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Richard Linklater, who were also celebrated during this period for their groundbreaking work.
In addition to presenting Smith’s movie-making journey, “The 4:30 Movie” delves into his origins by portraying his life story in the 1980s, focusing on how his childhood experiences sparked his enduring passion for films.
Initially, Kevin Smith wrote the character of Randal Graves with himself in mind. Over time, he humorously stated that this was why Randal had all the best lines. However, as a first-time writer and director, Smith eventually recognized that taking on the lead role in a talkative film might be too much for him to handle.
As a die-hard fan, I never thought the choice to hand over the role of Randal Graves to another actor would lead to something life-changing for Smith – the inception of Jay and Silent Bob!
As a gaming enthusiast diving into “Clerks III,” I can’t help but feel it’s an affectionate nod to the original “Clerks.” It’s a triumphant moment for Kevin Smith, mirroring his own real-life brush with mortality, echoed in Randal’s harrowing ordeal at the film’s start. The intriguing twist here is turning Randal into a filmmaker, and more remarkably, having him create “Clerks.” This shift in roles between Smith and Randal adds a fascinating layer to their on-screen dynamic, one that was once just a role for me to play.
In 1993, Smith found himself employed at Quick Stop, pondering his future steps. Randal, in many ways, represented the director’s dreams embodied; his unrestrained ego and audacity allowed him to speak and act freely, unfettered by any concern for repercussions.
In the movie Clerks, when Dante questioned Randal about spitting water at someone despite his position as a clerk, Randal admitted, “If my title determined my actions, I wouldn’t have done that.” Later, when criticized for his irrational behavior, Randal defended himself by saying, “I prefer to see myself as the master of my own choices.
In “Clerks III,” as Randal embarks on his filmmaking journey to establish himself in the movie industry, he reverses the traditional dynamic. The achievement of “Clerks” and his connection with characters like Dante and Randal have granted Smith a lifestyle and contentment that has elevated him to an aspirational figure for Randal Graves, contrasting the usual direction of inspiration.
In the movie shown at 4:30, titled simply “The Movie,” sets up the backstory for its main character, who serves as a stand-in for director Kevin Smith, portrayed by Austin Zajur (known from “Son-in-Lockdown” and “Clerks III”). This backstory lays the foundation for two aspects of his life: first, his long-term goal to become a filmmaker; second, his immediate future in retail work.
As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but notice that “The 4:30 Movie” aligns with the pattern set by Smith in his “Phase 3,” which involves revisiting, recreating, and reimagining tales from the past. This production seems to echo my cherished childhood memories, and it shares a striking similarity in terms of style and narrative structure with the 1980s teen sex comedies masterminded by John Hughes, such as “The Breakfast Club.
Kevin Smith began incorporating inside jokes and references from his own movies quite early in his career. For instance, in his second film, Mallrats, the plot’s key event is the death of Julie Dwyer, a character not physically present onscreen, whose demise was also hinted at in his first film, Clerks. As Smith progresses in his filmmaking journey, recurring themes, mirroring, and tributes to his earlier works have become powerful elements in his storytelling.
In the movie “Jay & Silent Bob Reboot” from 2019, Kevin Smith originally planned to just remake “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.” The unusual aspect of this project served as the humor – it was a joke in itself. However, after rethinking his decision and deciding to create a new film for the pair, he still found himself drawn to reintroducing familiar concepts, characters, and jokes from the past.
2001’s “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back” is a movie that revolves around the iconic sidekicks who finally take center stage, embarking on an adventure to Hollywood. Their mission? To prevent a film studio from exploiting their likeness by producing a movie based on “Bluntman & Chronic”, a comic book series that fictionalizes Jay and Bob, first introduced in the 1997 film “Chasing Amy”.
18 years later, Jay and Bob are heading back to Hollywood with a mission – stopping the production of a new Bluntman & Chronic movie. Between “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back” and “Jay & Silent Bob Reboot,” Smith directed and wrote only one live-action film in his long-running View Askewniverse: 2005’s “Clerks II,” which seemed to provide a final happy ending for Dante Hicks and Randal Graves.
Dante inquires of Randal towards the end of the movie: “Do you sense it?” Instead, let me rephrase the second part: “Today marks the start of an entirely new chapter in our lives.” The scene concludes with the camera moving away from them, traversing through the Quick Stop, and ending on a humorous note: the “Milk Maid” character from Clerks, portrayed by Kevin Smith’s mother Virginia Smith, is once again seen at the cooler, in search of that extraordinary bottle of milk that miraculously won’t spoil for years.
In a deep and meaningful manner, Clerks III would reverse the cheerful conclusion, reshaping the understanding of happiness for both characters. Following a life-changing heart attack, Randal realizes that operating a small business with his best friend no longer satisfies him. He yearns to create a film, to make an impact on the world. On the other hand, Dante appears somewhat amused by the idea of making a movie. He clings to the convenience store as a reminder of normality, after his mental health suffered significantly following the death of his wife and unborn child.
In the conclusion of Clerks III, as the camera pans out from the pair, traversing through the Quick Stop aisles, there is a humorous finale: Jay’s daughter Millie, portrayed by Kevin Smith’s daughter Harley Quinn Smith, has taken over the “Milk Maid” position, still searching for that extraordinary bottle of milk that remains fresh for an extended period.
These examples merely scratch the surface; both “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back” and “Clerks III” share similarities with other films in the View Askewniverse, not just for fan service, but as a platform for Kevin Smith to reflect societal issues and character development, and further the broader narrative of the universe.
The 4:30 Movie, set apart from Smith’s common universe, is actually a comedic spin on actual experiences he and his friends had in the 1980s. Similarly, if Clerks III is also a fictionalized account of events surrounding the making of Clerks. So, what sets them apart? The 4:30 Movie mirrors Clerks II in its optimistic conclusion for Brian David, who serves as Kevin Smith’s young stand-in. Conversely, Brian represents a teenage version of Smith’s character from three decades ago, while Randal embodies a middle-aged and jaded iteration of Smith’s self-insert character from earlier works.
Among the aspects of “Clerks III” that have sparked debate among viewers and reviewers, none have been more contentious than its ending. The death of Dante Hicks is a surprising twist, and it holds significant emotional impact for longtime followers who have watched these characters grow over many years.
In his review, critic Richard Roeper compared watching the movie to observing a 50-year-old rock star with silver hair performing his chart-topping hits from the 1990s and sharing anecdotes about those songs in between performances. While there is indeed some resemblance to this scenario, given that Smith is known for admiring another New Jersey icon, Bruce Springsteen, who performed a similar act on Broadway, the finale of Clerks III seems to offer something distinctly different.
In the debatable finale of “Clerks III,” Dante’s comment that Randall’s film is “the best movie I ever saw” serves as validation. It seems that Randal aspires to be like Kevin Smith, but what Dante truly yearned for was love, and his ultimate purpose wasn’t just to be a filmmaker, it was to become Becky’s husband. Intuitively, Randal recognized the right moment to conclude his movie – a conclusion suggesting that the movie is a fusion of the first two “Clerks” films, omitting the apparent death of Becky, which occurred immediately after the end of “Clerks II.
“I’m glad you left some stuff out,” Dante tells him.
In the film titled “The 4:30 Movie“, the once famous rocker, now with silver hair, isn’t reminiscing about his past glories, instead delving into the life experiences that molded him into a star. This film shares elements of introspection found in Netflix’s “Springsteen on Broadway“. Unlike the former, however, the ending of “The 4:30 Movie” is more optimistic and ambiguous, offering a bright, cheerful conclusion without definitively showing where Brian and his friends will be by 2024. The story leaves some aspects unresolved, not necessarily as a creative decision, but rather as a natural stopping point for the narrative – however, we know that real-life Kevin Smith didn’t end up with a girl from his hometown, but with a journalist from USA Today , so there is a tension between Brian’s story and the idea of him finding “happily ever after” with Melody Barnegat as teenagers.
In various films like “Jay & Silent Bob Reboot” and “Clerks III”, Smith openly discusses his heart attack and shares it with characters such as Randal and Dante. In “The 4:30 Movie,” Betty Aberlin’s character makes lighthearted comments about heart attacks, mirroring Smith’s experiences. As a result of his heart attack, Smith has become deeply preoccupied with the concept of mortality, and this theme is reflected in many of his more recent works. “Reboot” focuses on Jay discovering the joys of parenthood, while “Clerks III” highlights Smith’s passion for filmmaking. “The 4:30 Movie” is a reflection not only of Smith’s love for movies and pop culture, but also of the relationships that have significantly influenced him throughout his life. The characters in “The 4:30 Movie” are based on individuals who Smith knew four decades ago and remains connected with. These relationships, though occasionally strained and not always portrayed positively within the film itself, hold great significance to Smith.
Kevin Smith values his relationships deeply, and he frequently collaborates with Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson, the stars of “Clerks,” whenever they wish to rejoin his projects. Moreover, recurring characters and actors are a consistent element in his creative endeavors. While Smith’s latest films brim with pop culture references and humor, it is the affection among his characters that drives them. The fact that Smith continues to work with recurring actors, even those who only appear for brief periods or minor roles like Diedrich Bader and Jason Biggs, demonstrates how he applies this sentiment in both his personal life and his work.
In my opinion, there’s an earnestness in Smith’s latest films, but it shines most brilliantly in “The 4:30 Movie.” It has a sense of accessibility and mainstream appeal reminiscent of his work since at least 2004’s “Jersey Girl.” Unlike some of his previous works, this one feels less exclusive, less filled with inside jokes, and less dependent on the viewer’s familiarity or interest in Kevin Smith. Surprisingly, it’s the film’s genuine warmth that makes it a fitting addition to Smith’s unintentional trilogy.
The 4:30 Movie is in select theaters now.
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2024-09-13 18:11