Jack Black Is Funny, But Can't Save Mos Def In "Be Kind, Rewind"

I went to see Be Kind, Rewind tonight and I must say that I thought the premise of the movie, becoming a part of your favorite movies and making up your own stories, was actually very creative. I can spare you the details, but basically the idea is that an accident causes Jerry (Jack Black) to become magically magnetized, and accidentally erase all of the videos in the "Be Kind Rewind" video store.

When he and his friend Mike (Mos Def) realize what has happened, they begin to videotape "remakes" of every movie in the store in order keep the store in business and away from the wrecking ball.

Now this may sound prepostrous, and it absolutely is, but so is the idea of a man who flies with his underwear outside his pants and is considered a hero, or the premise that Mos Def should be acting at all... With the exception of a few feel good moments and a few VERY funny references to some of our old favorite movies, the movie sets itself up as trying too hard. Jack Black can be very entertaining. In School of Rock, for example, he, well, rocked. In this one however, he is just too unbelievably over the top for this movie.

Then there are the re-enactments. They are obviously terribly done, thus adding to their charm, and the people of the town seem to love them. They are even willing to pay $20 a piece to rent them, and the films are only 20 min in length each. Of course the town rallies behind them and tries to help with their cause, yada yada yada...