I’ve been a Kevin Smith movie my whole life, ever since I first saw Clerks in my freshman year in college. The joke struck a chord with me and I was instantly converted. So much so (getting a little freaky here), but I have his entire catalog on DVD, signed by the same man.

Or at least I did, until Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back came out. Man, I was really disappointed in that movie. I even stayed “pure”, not reading anything behind the scenes, not even watching the trailers before the movie came out. So you can imagine my feelings when I walked out of the cinema after watching it, wondering where everything had gone wrong.

Now you may or may not agree with me on this, or even any of the reviews here (but shit, get your own website), but I think Kevin Smith went crazy after J & SBSB. Jersey Girl? Nuff said.

So I was pretty nervous when I sat down to watch Clerks 2. Especially since I was watching it in company and they were looking for me to entertain them. It’s always a tricky move when watching an untested movie!

Let me say up front that I liked it. And in a way it’s a return to form for Kevin Smith. This time we go back to the familiar characters from the original, with Randal and Dante reprising their roles, albeit in a fast food restaurant instead of Quick Stop. It’s great to hear the two of you joke over and over again.

This time around, the characters are also joined by Trevor Fehrman (spanking boy) and Rosario Dawson (love interest). The plot centers on Dante’s last day at the Moobys before embarking on a new life with the soon-to-be Mrs. Hicks (played by Kevin Smith’s wife Jennifer Schwalbach Smith). Will he be able to leave New Jersey behind and start over with a new life, a new wife, and a new job? Well, you can find out when you see it.

What you want to know is:

“It is funny?” -Yes, in some parts watery eyes, funny shortness of breath.

“Is it as good as Clerks?” – No, but it’s way better than it could have been and way better than Jersey Girl and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

“Should I see it?” – Yes, you must be sure that this movie is much more in tune with the entire View Askew Universe than J&SB. Plus, there’s a lot here for anyone who’s not a KS fan.

A great return to form for the big guy!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *