Comedy/Drama. Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Melonie Diaz, Mia Farrow, Sigourney Weaver, Chandler Parker. Director: Michel Gondry.

Always look on the bright side of life with writer-director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, The Science Of Sleep), whose new film pays homage to dearly departed VHS.

Be Kind Rewind is a quirky comedy about two best friends who, through outrageous misfortune, have to remake Hollywood blockbusters with only a camcorder and their ingenuity.

Mike (Def) works in a small, New Jersey video rental store under the management of Mr Fletcher (Glover). When the boss is away, Mike will play... with his car mechanic chum Jerry (Black), who inadvertently manages to wipe all of the tapes when his body is magnetised by the local power plant.

With nothing but blank tapes to flog to the customers, Mike and Jerry hurriedly create a no-budget version of Ghostbusters for loyal customer Miss Falewicz (Farrow). Local residents fall in love with the pals' remakes and begin to request new versions of other films.

However, Hollywood film studios despatch a rep (Weaver) to threaten legal proceedings for infringement of copyright. Can Mike and Jerry continue to rewrite cinematic history?

Some of these 20-minute revamps are hilarious (recreating Ghostbusters with kitchen foil and tinsel, for example) and Jack Black's impersonation of a scrap metal Robocop, complete with hairdryer gun, is unforgettable.

However, once you put these brilliant skits to one side, you'll struggle to find any substance. The basic story is plodding and flimsy - most of the big laughs rely on audiences being familiar with the films that are being spoofed.

Thankfully, apart from Rush Hour 2, which was laughably bad in its original incarnation, most are classics (2001: A Space Odyssey, Driving Miss Daisy, The Lion King) ripe for reinvention.

Be Kind Rewind is a testament to Gondry's creativity and his distinctive, off-kilter perspective. The remakes are inspired, and it's always a disappointment to have to return to the real life trials and tribulations of the townsfolk. With the obvious exception of livewire Black, performances are muted and Mos Def mumbles all of his lines in a monotone drawl.

The climactic screening of the community's Fats Waller tribute brings Gondry's film to a close with a whimper rather than a bang.

3 stars.