Jack Black and Mos Def play work well in this Passaic NJ based comedy. It is a perfect vehicle for Black's manic, disheveled comic rants and Def is a good fit as his straight man. Melonie Diaz is a pleasant addition and works well in the comic role. The film is shot on location in Passaic and New York and incorporates locals into the cast, including some speaking parts.
Mos Def was not originally cast in the role of Mike. For awhile Dave Chapelle was attached to the project and came up the idea of remaking Driving Miss Daisy.
This movie has a strong start. Black and Def begin to make 20 minutes version of the movies so that they cover for that fact that all of the videos in the store where Def works have been erased by a suddenly magnetic Black(don't ask). The shorts provide some good laughs particularly Ghostbusters and Driving Miss Daisy but its the same gag and it inevitable grows old.
When this occurs the director shifts gears and make it a formulaic comedy about making enough money to save the plucky little video store. So after a whole bunch of preaching about how the big studio movies aren't creative, the film turns into one of the most god awful, uncreative regurgitations ever to hit the screen. This movie is not one tenth as creative and original as any of the films they "impove" on.
You can probably wait awhile on this one.

Labels: Jack Black., Mos Def