‘The 4:30 Movie’ narrative centres on three 16-year-old friends who spend their weekends sneaking into movies at their local Cineplex. Trouble arises when one of the friends invites his crush to an R-rated film, causing chaos with a strict theatre manager, portrayed by Ken Jeong, and stirring up various teenage rivalries.
The official synopsis describes the plot: “Three sixteen-year-old friends who spend their Saturdays sneaking into movies at the local Cineplex. When one of the guys invites the girl of his dreams to see an R-rated film, all hilarity breaks loose, as a self-important theatre manager (Ken Jeong) and teen rivalries interfere with his best-laid plans.”
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Set against the summer of 1986 backdrop, the movie features cameos from Smith’s previous collaborators, including Justin Long, Rosario Dawson, Jason Biggs, Jason Mewes, and Jason Lee. The cast also includes Logic, Rachel Dratch, Adam Pally, Sam Richardson, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, and Smith’s daughter, Harley Quinn Smith. Additionally, Nicholas Cirillo, Reed Northrup, Siena Agudong, Betty Aberlin, Diedrich Bader, Ralph Garman, Kate Micucci, Jenny Mollen, Genesis Rodriguez, and Jennifer Schwalbach appear in the film.
Smith describes the movie as a “poignant comic valentine to moviegoing and the youth of the ’80s,” expressing his gratitude to audiences for “giving [me] an extended adolescence.” Reflecting on his career, Smith revisited his iconic film ‘Clerks’, which debuted in 1994 and later inspired sequels ‘Clerks 2’ and ‘Clerks 3’.
Smith shared with TV Line that he initially did not grasp the film’s appeal, considering its black-and-white format and lesser-known cast. However, he acknowledges that the film resonated with audiences and continues to be discussed nearly three decades later.
“I’m almost 30 years on the job now, and I think I completely understand why ‘Clerks’ not only connected then but why people still talk about it today, even though it’s an old-ass black and white movie that was made in the ’90s,” Smith said. “You don’t make these flicks going like, ‘I hope nobody sees them.’ You hope that the world embraces them. I’m the guy who’s like people who still talk about ‘Clerks’ because I still keep the conversation going nearly 30 years later. I’m always like, ‘Remember “Clerks”? Holy crap. ‘Clerks’ was wonderful.’”
-Sushmita Sarkar