The 1995 cult classic Empire Records takes place on April 8th, and centers on a (very strange) day in the life of a number of record-store employees who are trying to prevent their mom-and-pop store from being sold to a corporation who will change its culture and ruin their vibe. Among the various things happening on that particular April 8th are a signing appearance by Rex Manning, an in-universe global pop star who even at the time was depicted as over-the-hill, but who still had legions of screaming middle-aged fans who had been screaming teenage fans decades before.
At one point in the movie, Mark — a character played by Ethan Embry, utters the now-classic line, “We mustn’t dwell. No, not today. We can’t. Not on Rex Manning day!” And once social media took over popular culture, “Rex Manning Day” became a thing that fans celebrate every April 8th.
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And now, so does Ryan Reynolds and Aviation Gin, who not only put together a Rex Manning Day-themed drink…but also brought back veteran character actor Maxwell Caulfield to reprise the role as Rex Manning.
You can see the ad below.
The joke here, of course, is that Rex is maybe taking “cult classic” a little too literally — with his sidekicks wearing the same clothing and hair as him, and acting in weird and suspicious ways. It’s a fun play on the idea of a “cult classic” movie, that blends with the fact that in-universe, he’s depicted as a pretty cruddy dude who takes advantage of his fans for sex…so maybe not too far off from the type of guy who would eventually branch out into cult-like behavior? We dunno. Maybe it’s a reach. Either way, it’s funny to see Caulfield back in Rex Manning’s absurd clothes and hairstyling again.
Here’s the recipe, in case you missed it: Fill a tall glass with ice. Add 1/2 ounce of lime juice and five dashes of red aromatic bitters. Add 1 1/4 ounces of Aviation gin, and then top with tonic. Stir, add a fresh orange slice, and drink.
Empire Records, which is available on all Video on Demand platforms or streams free on YouTube, stars Renee Zellweger, Liv Tyler, Anthony La Paglia, Ethan Embry and Robin Tunney. And, obviously, Maxwell Caulfield as Rex Manning.
