Kevin Smith Showed the Cast of His New Comedy the Jersey Ropes

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Kevin Smith Showed the Cast of His New Comedy the Jersey Ropes

As a seasoned movie-buff with a penchant for indie films and a soft spot for New Jersey, I must say that The 4:30 Movie has left me positively smitten. The young cast’s genuine enthusiasm for their roles and the project itself is infectious, not to mention their heartwarming connections to Kevin Smith and his work.

I recently had a chat with the youthful cast of “The 4:30 Movie,” Kevin Smith’s latest indie comedy and heartfelt project set in New Jersey. This film follows a group of three buddies (Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, and Reed Northrup) as they devise a plan to sneak into an R-rated movie while one of them tries to win over his captivating crush (Siena Agudong). The plot may seem straightforward, but the film was primarily shot within a movie theater that Smith actually owns, lending an authentic touch to the scenes as they were filmed in his old neighborhood.

Zajur, who portrays the lead character Brian, mentioned that he and Smith took a leisurely stroll through Atlantic Highlands town. Smith showed him around, providing a running commentary in his spare time. During this exploration, Zajur shared that he would casually visit the filming locations, trying to immerse himself in the atmosphere and envision what it was like for the character back then. He found it particularly exciting to shoot scenes at the movie theater now owned by the character, as it was the same place where the character used to watch movies. It was a unique experience that doesn’t come around often.

Northrup mentioned that one fascinating aspect of this film is its connection to actual individuals, including the protagonist and his companions. Thus, having the chance to encounter these people, understand their personalities, and capture their essence in our portrayals was an exceptional experience. In fact, I believe this unique opportunity is quite rare.

Northrup continued, noting a fun personal connection of his to Smith’s latest project:

For me, starring in my first major film role in a town near where I spent my childhood felt like returning home, a very sentimental experience. In essence, it transported me back to those memories, which was truly wonderful.

Leaving Kevin Smith ‘on Read’

For individuals unfamiliar with Smith, his co-star Agudong revealed an exceptional aspect of the director that she hadn’t encountered on any film set before. As she put it, “Kevin is incredibly warm and inviting.” She explained that there was a joke on set during the first week, where they would applaud constantly, either after scenes or when someone entered the set. Agudong humorously added, “They’d say, ‘Yep, this is a Kevin Smith movie… Your hands are going to hurt at the end of this.’ However, she noted that this just reflected the overall atmosphere on set, which was one of constant celebration. As she expressed it, “we were constantly celebrating because we were all so passionate about creating something truly special“. She found this to be a particularly unique and special experience.

Additionally, there’s Cirillo, who may be familiar to television viewers from the series “Outer Banks”. He currently plays a notable supporting character in “The 4:30 Movie”, and generously shared with us an unforgettable instance when he learned he had landed a role in Smith’s upcoming film.

“He was texting me, and I felt my phone vibrate and, of course, I was like, ‘I’m [seeing] Oppenheimer, I’m not going to get my phone out!’ And then I was like, ‘Oh s***, I kind of just left Kevin on read for like three hours. He’s gonna think I’m annoying him.’ So then I was like, ‘Oh, sorry, man… I was in Oppenheimer.’ And then Kevin was like, ‘I hope you’re not expecting that on this next set.’ I think he said, ‘I’m Other-heimer, I’m the other guy.'”

From Saban Films, The 4:30 Movie will be released in theaters on Friday.

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2024-09-14 00:31