A little word of advice, my friend. Sometimes you gotta let those hard-to-reach chips go.
– Dante Hicks (Brian O’Halloran) in Clerks.
One night, while attending a youth group function, someone decided, for reasons lost to the annals of time, to put on a VHS copy of Kevin Smith’s Clerks (1994). Watching the black and white film centering two convenience store clerks while one worked on their day off, the series of misadventures both everyday and cinematically complex struck a chord with several lines of dialogue becoming seared into my personality. Though aspects of the film have soured like the expired milk the Milk Maid (Grace Smith) is desperate to avoid through careful inspection of each gallon, there’re still aspects that have clung to me, shaping just how one engages with trauma. Among those clearly influenced by Smith’s early work (and most recent new title) is musician and filmmaker Logic, whose feature film directorial debut, Paradise Records, premiering in the Spotlight Narrative section of Tribeca Film Festival, borrows heavily from Clerks and other “one crazy day” retail-centric workplace comedies. At times, Paradise Records leans so hard into the homages that it’s more imitation, yet the charm and Logic’s sincerity (both as a performer and storyteller) earn the film its place in audience’s hearts, enabling them to groove with the intrinsic rhythm emanating from the adventure.
Cooper (Logic) owns and operates record store Paradise Records and it’s seen better days. Though it has its busy moments, the last few years have been a struggle, leading to financial problems that only a bank loan to bandage. With debts now due and Cooper running out of ideas to save his store and keep his staff employed, local arcade owner Mike Hawk (Martin Starr) smells blood in the water, making a potentially irresistible offer for a takeover. Will Cooper take the lifeline? Will he figure out a plan? Or will the universe intervene? Only time will tell and it all begins before opening.
L-R: Tramayne Hudson as T Man and Logic as Cooper in PARADISE RECORDS. Photo courtesy of BobbyBoy Films.
We’re going to address the Smith-shaped elephant in the room before going any further. The filmmaker serves as producer (through Smodco) and editor for Paradise Records and cast Logic in his first-time feature acting debut (2024’s The 4:30 Movie, a charming rom-com that features Logic playing Astro Blaster, a sci-fi character in a fake film the leads go to see). Even if one didn’t know the first two elements, there’s such a smattering of Smith influence throughout the script, one actually waits for Cooper to proclaim that he wasn’t even supposed to be here today. From the trailer, there’s a scene on the record store’s roof (no hockey, though); conversations related to pop culture; a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it reference to Logic’s past cinematic work; familial inclusion; and, of course, Smith’s own appearance. All of these are hallmarks of Smith who’s known to fellate himself unapologetically and they appear quite naturally in a similar fashion throughout Paradise. That said, each moment is given a specific spin that is decidedly not of Smith’s perspective, which is what gives much of Paradise its specific view in this moment in time and helps separate it from the filmmaker and the stories which so clearly inspired it.
The narrative itself is fairly straight-forward, leaning more on the performances from the cast through various situational vignettes than delivering a front-to-back story. The overall narrative and its tension come from whether or not Cooper can keep his store, but Logic shies away from a traditional structure, opting instead for something more segmented, enabling the audience to get to know the characters through different interactions. One segment, as shown in the trailer, might focus on Cooper experiencing his greatest fear as a white-passing biracial man (using the N-word and someone thinking he’s racist), while another might be setting up the relationship between Cooper and his cousin/coworker T Man (Tramayne Hudson) as hilariously combative, and while yet another might establish two of Cooper’s relatives (whose defining characteristics redefine how the audience sees Cooper). This doesn’t mean that the vignettes aren’t somehow connected. They do take place in the same area (primarily the store; otherwise around it), so the same customer or an unaddressed issue from one vignette penetrates other vignettes.
Logic as Cooper in PARADISE RECORDS. Photo courtesy of BobbyBoy Films.
By structuring the film in this way, Logic provides opportunities for memorable moments from the cast, hilarity coming not from sustained comedy but the bursts; much like working in retail. The filmmaker/actor gets some solid moments in himself, though he (somewhat wisely) more often makes Cooper the butt of jokes, which positions the character as affable due to the good-natured ribbing. The real standouts are Hudson, Reed Northup (The 4:30 Movie), Mary Elizabeth Kelly (Barry), Tajh Jordan, and Tony Revolori (Asteroid City; Spider-Man: Homecoming). With the exception of Revolori, the rest haven’t had a major role yet and Paradise gives each a moment to shine. Hudson and Logic have incredible chemistry as cousins, making the comedy (and appropriate drama) play well regardless of the external tension. Northup doesn’t impact the narrative heavily, but his sweetness as Tables off-sets the aggressive comedy from T Man. Kelly is given a little less to do in the film compared to the rest, but credit to Logic for (a) not using her a prop as “lone woman coworker” and (b) giving her Melanie two good moments to make an impression, the best of which involves playing off Logic when he’s in heavy character makeup. Jordan is spell-binding as Flawless / Tajah, friend of Logic and drag queen — a character which would’ve been a point of contention in early Smith works is not only treated with loving care by Logic but is utilized to create a moment of sexual/gender positivity in a film with jokes that walk the line between toxic and body positive (much like Smith films of yore). Last but not least, Revolori is hilarious as Slaydro whose initial “absentmindedness” feels like it’ll be a one-note joke, but Logic’s structure of the narrative and use of the character enables Slaydro to pay off in dividends much later, especially when comedy is in short supply.
Credit, of course, to Logic himself as creator and lead actor of Paradise. It’s difficult to be in near every single scene and not only ensure that your performance remains strong, but that others get their shine. Though Logic’s Cooper is often the straight man to others’ jokes, there are plenty of moments where audiences can see more from Logic than merely as a jokester and this enables Cooper’s plight to be felt, giving the generally light comedy weight as we grow concerned for his ability hold onto his store. Logic is extraordinarily generous to his cast, however, by ensuring that Cooper remains the center of all the chaos, the audience never loses sight of the ticking clock that starts early into the shift. This matters amid the sliding characters, increasing external forces, and the height of absurdity that the film reaches — all without losing the drama at its core.
L-R: Tony Revolori as Slaydro, Tramayne Hudson as T Man, Logic as Cooper, Tajh Jordan as Tajh, and Dana Milican as Celeste in PARADISE RECORDS. Photo courtesy of BobbyBoy Films.
Workplace comedies and “one crazy day” tales are not uncommon to viewers. Clerks, Clerks II (2006), Friday (1995), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), Empire Records (1995), and, of course, After Hours (1985), to name a few, capitalize on either a single location (business, area, or city) and put a single person or group through their paces. Paradise Records doesn’t so much reinvent the subgenre as add to the symphonic cacophony, easily enjoyed by audiences who just want to have a good damn time. A lot can happen in a day; your world can end and it can be reborn, all between open and close. If nothing else, Paradise Records demonstrates that Logic understands what makes stories like this work — its characters. Now, whether this title turns into the beginning of an auteur’s filmography remains to be seen, but I would easily queue up for another title given Logic’s voice shines most when he leans into himself and bravely steps away from those who inspired him.
Screening during Tribeca Film Festival 2025.
For more information, head to the official Tribeca Film Festival Paradise Records webpage.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
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Categories: Films To Watch, In Theaters, Recommendation, Reviews
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