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The year is 1986, and avid cinephile teenager Brian David (Austin Zajur) spends most of his time attending his local cinema, expressing an enthusiastic passion for all things film-related. After mustering up the courage, Brian calls his crush, Melody (Siena Agudong), and asks her on a date to see a new detective comedy called Bucklick. In the lead-up to the date, Brian and his two pals, Burny (Nicholas Cirillo) and Belly (Reed Northrup), intend to spend the day theatre-hopping: they pay to see a teen-friendly sci-fi fantasy movie, then plan to sneak into R-rated features. However, the trio immediately attract unwanted attention from the multiplex's strict manager, Mike (Ken Jeong), who is not shy about handing out lifetime bans to problematic patrons. The ensuing misadventures test their friendship, but Brian perpetually remains laser-focused on his impending date with Melody.
With The 4:30 Movie taking place in New Jersey during the 1980s and with shooting occurring at Smith's retro-themed Smodcastle Cinemas, the writer-director incorporates many of his teenage experiences and early romantic encounters into the script to shape this story about filmgoing, friendships, crushes, and adolescent life in general. Smith also does his best to recreate the '80s, incorporating things like wrestling, Starlog Magazine, Quasar CRT televisions, and Hands Across America participants, while the characters frequently reference well-known movies. (Curiously, Poltergeist II: The Other Side is mentioned the most.) Regrettably, however, the story is almost as on-the-nose as some of the dialogue (a specific Star Wars conversation with a cynical usher is more exasperating than funny), with characters predictably encountering the right people at the right time in the third act to learn the right lessons, making the screenplay feel incredibly lazy.
Smith dials back his regular penchant for foul language and profanity here in an attempt to deliver a PG-13 comedy that is accessible to a younger demographic. However, the masturbation jokes ultimately scored the film an R rating despite the director's appeal efforts. It's a shame that this rating came too late for Smith to lean into it a bit more, as the humour could use more kick, and the movie largely feels PG-13. At times, the script is a pleasing showcase for Smith's razor-sharp writing instincts, reminding us why he became such an indie film wunderkind; the opening phone call between Brian and Melody is effortlessly charming, for example, and several of the conversations between the three boys are witty and amusing. However, the film feels too self-referential at other times, making it feel like yet another movie specifically tailored for long-time followers of Smith's podcasts and films, leaving general audiences in the dark.
Although The 4:30 Movie looks slick and polished, with specific lens choices and colour grading to generate an old-school look, it is challenging to get past the layer of digital gloss. As a result, it looks like a made-for-Netflix movie instead of a proper filmic throwback. No matter how you look at it, nostalgic pictures of this ilk should resemble genuine celluloid productions. At least the fake trailers and films within the movie show a far more agreeable filmic aesthetic, down to print damage and soft focus. These segments also show a firm understanding of low-grade '80s productions, including rickety special effects and hammy acting. The performances are otherwise not much to write home about, with the actors coming across as believable enough but lacking in charm. Composer Bear McCreary (whose name is referenced in the opening radio announcement since he has apparently become Smith's favourite composer after they collaborated for Masters of the Universe: Revelation) is also on hand to provide a retro-infused score that thankfully gives the picture some much-needed flavour.
The 4:30 Movie closes on a curiously anticlimactic note, with the shenanigans coming to an abrupt end as Smith stages an extended conversation between Brian and Melody before the film suddenly concludes. One supposes that Smith was aiming for a sweet conclusion reminiscent of '80s teen films like The Breakfast Club, but it lacks power and impact. With the feature clocking in at a scant 76 minutes, excluding credits, Smith pads things out with a mid-credits scene and a post-credits blooper reel, though neither segment is a standout. Smith's heart is in the right place with The 4:30 Movie, and it is far better than many of Smith's recent endeavours, showing a promising creative direction for the writer-director. Ultimately, though, it is difficult to imagine anybody revisiting this one as much as Clerks, Chasing Amy or Dogma.
6.0/10
