Kevin Smith has been looking into his past for the last few years. Smith has often revisited his favorite characters in his films, and his stories are filled with discussions about entertainment from years ago.
Since his heart attack in 2018, Smith has become even more reflective about his life.
This shift is also seen in his films. In the 2019 film Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Smith addressed the importance of fatherhood by giving the character Jay (played by Jason Mewes) an estranged daughter (played by Smith’s own daughter, Harley Quinn Smith).
The film also seemed to make Smith rethink his work on stories like Chasing Amy. In his 2022 movie Clerks III, Smith returned to the characters he began his career with, having Randal (Jeff Anderson) and Dante (Brian O’Halloran) create a film at the Quick Stop.
The movie also shows these characters dealing with heart attacks. After a series of strange horror films, it was refreshing to see Smith return to personal stories again.
Smith’s latest film, The 4:30 Movie, feels like his most personal movie since Clerks. It’s a teen movie about spending time with friends at the movies, dealing with friendships, and thinking about a girl you never asked out.
If Smith’s childhood was anything like what we see in this one day of a 1986 New Jersey summer, it’s clear how he became the person he is today and made the films he has.
Smith is at his best when he’s open with his emotions, as he is in The 4:30 Movie. The movie’s sincerity attempts to address the common issues found in Smith’s films, with mixed results.
What Is The 4:30 Movie About?
In The 4:30 Movie, Austin Zajur plays Brian David, a 16-year-old who spends his days sneaking into movies at his local theater and recording his thoughts in a tape recorder as a writing exercise.
His friends, Burny (Nicholas Cirillo) and Belly (Reed Northrup), usually join him. Burny is the group’s ladies’ man, while Belly is often getting into trouble.
Brian David surprises his friends when he invites his long-time crush, Melody Barnegat (Siena Agudong), to join them for a 4:30 movie. Brian and Melody had a brief connection the previous summer, but it took Brian this long to work up the courage to ask her out.
When she agrees, Brian has to figure out how to sneak them into an R-rated movie, avoid the angry theater owner, Manager Mike (a scene-stealing Ken Jeong), and deal with his friends’ frustrations over how this new girl is changing their friendship.
Smith’s films often make small, low-stakes situations seem important to his characters, which fits well with this straightforward teen comedy.
The movie begins with Brian David awkwardly asking Melody out over the phone.
The scene feels clumsy, cheesy, and sincere, like it’s based on a real experience from Smith’s youth. When Melody agrees to go out, Brian’s joy is clear, setting the tone for the film, which has a lot of heart.
Kevin Smith’s Usual Issues in The 4:30 Movie
When the friends arrive at the multiplex, Smith’s usual quirks begin to surface. The friends crack jokes that don’t always land, including a recurring gag where characters say things that will obviously be wrong in the future, like saying post-credit scenes are a thing of the past or that Bill Cosby will always be respected.
The theater is filled with single-scene cameos, which are entertaining at times but seem to be there to fill the movie’s short runtime, which is barely 76 minutes. Smith also includes fake movie trailers that rely on his usual crude humor.
One of the more interesting trailers is a simple horror trailer that doesn’t lean on Smith’s typical jokes and feels like a nod to his horror film past.
There’s also a fake movie within the movie, with clips from Astro Blasters and the Beaver Men, a Flash Gordon parody starring Diedrich Bader and Logic.
While these moments are somewhat amusing, they make it seem like Smith didn’t have enough material for a full movie.
Still from The 4:30 Movie (Credit: Destro Films)
In this middle section of the film, Smith’s common flaws become more apparent. As mentioned before, The 4:30 Movie is very short, but it still feels longer than it should.
Smith lets certain jokes drag on too long, and scenes seem unsure when to end. The writing doesn’t have the energy it needs, and the simple story is pushed aside in favor of cameos, fake movies, and random jokes that don’t hit the mark.
It’s as if Smith feels the need to add elements his fans expect rather than sticking to what serves the story best.
Smith has struggled with this kind of self-referential filmmaking for a while. As the writer, director, and editor, Smith has complete creative control, which allows him to cater to an audience he knows will support his work.
It’s impressive that a filmmaker can still make exactly the movie they want, but The 4:30 Movie shows signs of Smith trying something new, only to fall back into the patterns he thinks his audience expects, for better or worse.
The 4:30 Movie Shines in Its Teen Romance
Once Brian David and Melody Barnegat go on their date and the other characters and jokes fade into the background, The 4:30 Movie regains the charm and youthful joy it started with.
This part of the movie shows a softer, more endearing side of Smith that he should embrace more often.
Zajur and Agudong are delightful together, capturing a version of young love built on genuine admiration for each other.
Zajur’s love of movies is charming and offers a view of what Smith might have been like as a teen, unsure of his future but passionate about film.
Agudong avoids being just the object of Brian’s affection and instead shows that she truly cares for this quirky movie nerd who was too shy to express his feelings.
The movie finds its heart again in the third act, making you wonder if a simple, honest romantic comedy is something Smith should consider making in the future.
One of the last credits in The 4:30 Movie is from Smith, saying, “The Director would also like to thank the Audience for giving him an extended adolescence.” This statement seems like a double-edged sword.
On one hand, the film is at its best when it keeps things simple, focusing on the emotions of young love and the self-discovery of teenage years.
On the other hand, Smith continues to play to his long-time audience, relying on juvenile humor that should have been left behind.
While The 4:30 Movie is a flawed but heartfelt teen comedy that feels rooted in real-life experiences, it stumbles when Smith inserts his usual gimmicks, distracting from the sweet story being told.
Kevin Smith’s latest film, The 4:30 Movie, reflects his fascination with his past, especially after his 2018 heart attack.
The film tells the story of a teen, Brian David, who invites his crush to a movie while showing friendships and awkwardness.
It’s a personal, heartfelt film but struggles with some of Smith’s usual issues, like jokes that don’t always land and unnecessary cameos.
The film shines when it focuses on the sweet teen romance between Brian and Melody, but it sometimes gets bogged down by old habits that detract from the story’s sincerity and emotional depth.
Being a parent is challenging, and making mistakes is part of learning. There’s no real way to know if someone is ready to raise a child until they face the test. In a not-too-distant future, a new world has emerged.
In this future, people must decide if they want to stay in the old world, ruined by climate change, or move to a new world where they can live forever and breathe clean air without oxygen masks. However, in this new world, they must give up the right to own pets and have children.
For Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel), the only way to start a family is by passing a week-long evaluation, which is a nightmare of a test. Director Fleur Fortuné, in her debut film, leads the couple through the trials of proving their parenting skills and their loyalty to each other.
What Is ‘The Assessment’ About?
“We would be really good parents,” Mia confidently tells Virginia (Alicia Vikander), their strict assessor. From the outside, Mia and Aaryan seem like the perfect couple to have a child. Aaryan works as a tech-savvy genetic researcher, and Mia is an expert in botany.
They live in a modern, spacious home, full of bright colors, where a child could easily play. Their marriage is strong, filled with love and care for each other. With everything going well, what could go wrong during their test?
Over the next few days, the couple is closely observed by Virginia, their picky evaluator. Things take a strange turn when Virginia starts acting like a child herself, throwing food at the walls and asking for piggyback rides. She becomes the type of child that would test the patience of any parent.
Determined to prove themselves, Mia and Aaryan watch every word they say and keep their tempers in check. They try to meet Virginia’s ridiculous demands, even when they seem impossible.
Alicia Vikander Shines as Both a Tough Assessor and a Mischievous Child
Like Emma Stone in Poor Things, Alicia Vikander plays a character who changes her behavior to match the age she’s pretending to be.
Since her behavior is tied to the assessment stages, it’s amazing to see Vikander shift between being a strict evaluator and a wild child. Her dedication to playing both roles is clear in every scene. Without a doubt, this is Vikander’s best performance yet.
Although Vikander is a supporting actor here, she stands out among the cast. Olsen and Patel also deserve praise for their roles as the hopeful parents.
Still from The Assessment (Credit: Number 9 Films)
Aaryan shows tenderness towards Virginia and is often more patient with her mood swings than Mia, who is quick to discipline but also caring. Both actors capture the complex emotions of parenthood, showing that they don’t always know the right way to handle every situation but are willing to give their best effort.
‘The Assessment’s Worldbuilding Stands Out
Beyond the performances, the film excels in creating its futuristic world. The story is set in a society divided between the old world and the new. The film does a great job of highlighting the contrast between the two worlds, drawing the viewer into this intense and sometimes uncomfortable journey.
Mia and Aaryan’s home represents the new world—it’s luxurious, decorated with bright, primary colors, resembling something out of a Pedro Almodóvar movie. It feels vibrant, warm, and ideal, whereas the old world is desolate, polluted, and a far cry from the richness of the new world.
Fortuné’s background in art design shines through in her ability to show the good and bad sides of both worlds, helping viewers understand why different characters might choose one over the other.
Fortuné’s Directorial Debut Features a Haunting Score and Clever Script
Another aspect that draws the audience in is the eerie music score by Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch, who also scored All of Us Strangers and Living.
The dark, haunting sounds keep viewers hooked on the tense, nerve-wracking experience of Mia and Aaryan’s assessment. As things become more twisted, the music makes the audience feel the tension and excitement of the scenes.
As Mia and Aaryan try to prove they deserve to pass the test, the story raises questions about why they want to have children in the first place. It also shows whether bringing more children into the world will cause the new world to fall into the same traps as the old one.
Fortuné’s debut film is a success, but it isn’t meant for viewers looking for something light and easy to watch. The film is intense, thought-provoking, and will keep you on edge until the very last moment.
It will leave viewers amazed by the sensory and emotional experience of the film and excited to see more creative, unconventional, and disturbing films like this in the future. The Assessment premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
In The Assessment, couples must pass a grueling week-long test to earn the right to have children in a futuristic world. Mia and Aaryan face an intense evaluation by Virginia, their unpredictable assessor. With outstanding performances, haunting music, and sharp writing, the film shows themes of parenthood and societal change.
