On DVD
Mos Def works at a locally owned video store. His friend (Jack Black) becomes magnetized in a freak accident (don’t ask) and accidentally erases all of the videotapes by his proximity. This forces them to create their own versions of Driving Miss Daisy, Ghostbusters, Rush Hour 2, etc - which turns them into local celebrities. Mos Def (The Woodsman) is probably the best rapper-turned-actor around, but can’t overcome the ludicrous premise, shockingly inept in execution and payoff. Jack Black wore out his welcome awhile ago (Nacho Libre, anyone?) and is not only shameless in his appearance but in his pandering for laughs. What should be funny feels forced. What should be heartfelt feels contrived.
Writer-director Michel Gondry wants to show that community can bring the most downtrodden together. It’s a noble thought, as is celebrating tradition and local heroes (Fats Waller in this film). But I haven’t rented a videotape since 1998 and haven’t gone to a videostore since 2000. The recreations (called Swedes and lasting 20-30 minutes) are not funny and by now most of these films have been parodied by Saturday Night Live and its imitators more successfully. It’s a giant anachronistic mess, which you wouldn’t necessarily notice if it worked. It’s another disappointment from Gondry who needs to swallow that pride and get a co-writer or a good novel for his next film. C-
1 comment:
Tragic. This looked like it had the potential to be transcendental. Jack Black SUCKS. Tropic Thunder is probably ruined because they had to swap him for Owen after Owen's suicide attempt.
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