Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, better known as the multi-platinum recording artist Logic, has already made a name for himself in the music industry and later became a New York Times bestseller. Now the Grammy nominee has moved into the film space with one helluva debut, which he wrote, directed, produced, funded, and starred in. Executive produced and edited by Kevin Smith, Paradise Records is a classic hangout comedy of a bygone era. And if the multiple sold-out screenings tell us anything, it’s that the film is about to become a classic of its own.
With $178,000 in debt and foreclosure on the horizon, Bend, Oregon, record store owner Cooper (Logic) is in over his head. The store employees — his cousin T-man (Tramayne Hudson) with dreams that go beyond retail, the nerdy fantasy-obsessed Tables (Reed Northrup), and Melanie (Mary Elizabeth Kelly), the most responsible of the bunch — have been kept in the dark about the possible fate of Paradise Records. But the truth is unintentionally revealed soon enough, putting everyone on edge.
Over the course of an ordinary day, we meet the eccentric customers and family members who visit the store, including upbeat drag queen Flawless (Tajh Jordan), clueless drug dealer Slaydro (Tony Revolori), and Mike Hawk (Martin Starr), a rival businessman looking to take ownership of the store. David Krumholtz and Kevin Corrigan play two mobsters looking for their money from Cooper’s Uncle Tony, also played by Logic, while arguing about The Godfather.
As revealed in the trailer, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes also reprise their roles as the iconic stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob, who sell Cooper some wacky-named weed and promptly disappear. There are also cameos by the likes of Deidrich Bader, Phil Lamarr, Ron Perlman, Bobby Lee, and Juicy J. Logic even had his actual father play Cooper’s still-hustling-at-70-years-old dad in the film. Much of the comedy comes from the recurring biracial jokes at Cooper’s expense.
I can see plenty of people being put off by the excessive use of the n-word, especially in the first 10–15 minutes. It’s definitely distracting, and only somewhat funny at first, but becomes less so as the film goes on. First-time actor Hudson delivers a believable performance as the talkative semi-stoner with a good heart. He and Logic play off each other well, likely due to their IRL friendship. Hiring a friend who has never acted before, as well as having a leading man without acting experience, was probably a hard sell for a first-time filmmaker, but the decision paid off.
The crass, no filter humor in the film isn’t for everyone, but Logic didn’t write dialogue to poke fun at marginalized communities or offend anyone. He told Variety, “They’re never the butt of the joke. It’s funny because it’s a stereotype placed through the lens of a very ignorant person and then learning.”
Every character gets at least one moment to really shine and show off what makes them weird and interesting. Even the news reporter interviewing law enforcement and spectators outside the hostage situation delivers laugh-out-loud funny lines. For me, the film really picked up when two unprepared robbers (Nolan North and Oliver Tree) hide out in the store, taking the employees plus other big personalities we’ve met hostage, setting off a series of increasingly chaotic and comedic bits. It also leads to a hilarious scene with a seemingly suave Negotiator, played by the incomparable Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Visually, the film is so bright and colorful, especially David Sicotte’s (The Birch) intricate set design and Katherine Isom’s (Portlandia, The Rehearsal) decor of the store, creating an overall vibe that’s very Portland. They shot on location at Endlessound Records in St. Helens, Oregon, a shop that’s sure to benefit from the big screen exposure. DP Kevin Fletcher (It’s What’s Inside) captures a seamless transition to black and white in a tracking shot following Cooper to the mysterious drug dealers.
As expected of a Logic-led project, the music in the film is fantastic and features some of his unreleased tracks. Composer Sean Wolcott’s (Dreamin’ Wild) tunes play a big part in setting and maintaining the rhythm of Paradise Records.
The coolest thing about Paradise Records is the collaborative charm behind the scenes that comes through on screen. Even if certain jokes don’t land for some people or they find the over-the-top performances/scenarios too distracting, there’s still a nostalgic quality to the day-in-the-life, single-location storytelling. It has the same energy as late 90s and early-to-mid-aughts hangout comedies like Waiting… and Clerks II, but with a more inclusive cast and a dope soundtrack.
Paradise Records is a wild hangout comedy with a collaborative spirit that takes influence from indie classics like Clerks and High Fidelity. For audiences unfamiliar with Logic, it’s a great introduction to his style of music and humor. With several scripts already in the works and an impressive list of cinematic influences, whatever the multi-hyphenate does next is sure to be just as entertaining.
Paradise Records had its world premiere June 6 in the Spotlight Narrative section of the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
