How “The 4:30 Movie” Can Save Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith flipped independent cinema on its head in 1994 when he released the foul-mouthed, sex-crazed, slacker comedy Clerks. Since then, Smith has written and directed numerous sequels and crafted a world around Clerks called the “View Askewniverse” as well as branched out into other films and TV shows over the years. It’s no secret that Kevin Smith has become a cult of personality of sorts, breeding a fan base that is just as obsessed with him as they are with his films. A fan base of which I am a part of. I was blown away the first time I saw Clerks and have loved nearly every project he’s done since; however, I won’t lie, I feel that while movies like Clerks III and Jay and Silent Reboot were serviceable, even quite good, they lack the magic of the earlier films that launched his career. His latest projects have seemed to have diminishing returns, and it’s arguable that unless you’re a member of his fan base, you’d likely not enjoy his later films. 

Kevin Smith is a filmmaker that Hollywood seems to have written off. He gets a guest director spot on a TV show like Supergirl or The Goldbergs now and again, but by and large, the major studios aren’t banging down the door for him to direct their major blockbusters. Not after his disastrous attempts with 2008’s Zach and Miri Make a Porno and 2010’s Cop Out. 

So, it’s safe to say that Smith needs a career revitalization. Something new and fresh, unlike anything he’s done in the past, to completely rejuvenate his career and launch him back to indie movie God status. Enter “The 4:30 movie,” Smith’s new film set to release in the summer of 2024 about the magic of being a suburban kid spending the day at the movie theater, finding love, and likely getting into hijinks. The new flick has some decent star power including long-time Smith collaborators like Jason Lee (Chasing Amy, Mallrats, Almost Famous), Justin Long (Goosebumps, Barbarian, Tusk), and his daughter Harley Quinn Smith (Jay & Silent Bob Reboot, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, All These Small Moments), but also some comedic greats like Kate Micucci (Garfunkel and Oats, Big Bang Theory, and the modern voice of Scooby Doo’s Velma), Diedrich Bader (Napoleon Dynamite, Office Space), and Kim Jeong (Crazy Rich Asians, The Hangover series).

The cast isn’t the only thing to marvel at in the 4:30 movie, as the name “The 4:30 Movie” has some interesting history behind it as well. “The 4:30 Movie” was a TV series out of New York that ran from 1968 to 1981, in which movies would be broadcast on the network before primetime hours (Source: Wikipedia). There is no guarantee, but I’d say that Smith, being New Jersey-born and raised, was likely able to pick up this programming after school, but if not, it’s a cool coincidence. 

Another thing this movie has going for it is its location. Smith purchased “The Atlantic Moviehouse” in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, and has renamed it “Smodcastle Cinemas.” The 4:30 Movie was shot on location in Smodcastle Cinemas, which is currently an operating theater, thus leading to an interesting experience for fans to be able to view his new film in the very building that it was filmed in. 

Next is the distribution of the film. Smith recently announced that “The 4:30” Movie was picked up by Saban Films, a smaller production/distribution company that has been known for movies like Power Rangers (2017), Rob Zombies 3 from Hell (2019), the recent Nicolas Cage film Butcher’s Crossing (2022), and of course Smith’s own Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019). While Saban doesn’t have the reach of other studios that Smith has worked with, such as Lionsgate, it seems to be the perfect match for an established filmmaker in the back half of his career looking to introduce a new IP to the world. 

Overall, “The 4:30 Movie” seems to be set up for success, but in my opinion, the best thing it has going for it is that it’s a period piece, which is something different and new for Kevin Smith. All of his prior films have been based in a comic book reality of the current time they were produced in. They echo current issues and attitudes, but for “The 4:30 Movie, Smith is taking a spin in the DeLorean and going back to the 80s to tell a story that relates to a period that he clearly holds dear. A time period is long gone. A time period that Generation X longs to bring back. Whether or not Smith will pull this off is yet to be seen, but you can judge for yourself when “The 4:30 Movie” hits theaters this summer. 

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