4. Mike (Be Kind Rewind)
On a basic level, the protagonist Mike is the straight man in a quick comedy, but he also brings out a very profound story about creativity, business, and community in a real world. Mike ultimately becomes the leader in bringing the city of Passaic, New Jersey together as a team to make a movie to save the Be Kind Rewind video store and its owner, Mikes mentor, Mr. Fletcher. Be Kind Rewind (the movie) reminds the audience of why people like watching and making movies in the first place and how important creativity is to cultivate anywhere. It is a socially positive message that is legitimately entertaining in an incredibly skilled way. Its fun for those just looking for a good comedy as well as those who want to think about something greater, and it ties so much together so well that you cant help but think about it either way. Mike is integral to that. In lesser hands, the true heart of his character would have probably been lost in stereotype. How many just as capable hands are working out there to get their feet in the door? The world Mike inhabits is believable but is far from one-dimensional. It takes place in a poor town, but no one is defined, not only because of the fact that the themes those characters are going through apply universally, but also because the characters are just people within the town; everyone in the movie is different with their own personalities (pros and cons) and are by no means meant to represent an entire culture, and Mike is no exception. He lives around the culture, but is an individual with his own interests and idiosyncrasies that are not expected, definitive, or generalized. Anything that comes from Mike comes from who he is as a person, and his character journeys very far over the course of the movie. The obstacles he faces are off the beaten path, but that doesnt diminish in any way their honesty or entertainment value. Mike represents something realistic, positive, productive, and human, and tells a great story about community.