Clerks 2
Director: Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back)
Writers: Kevin Smith
Producers: Scott Mosier, Kevin Smith
Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson, Trevor Fehrman, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 97 min
read my spoiler disclaimer
Some potentially objectionable material to follow. Hey, it's a Kevin Smith film.
Anyone seeing a Kevin Smith film should know what they're in for: a series of shit, cock and fart jokes. Although the latest installment, Clerks 2, takes it a bit further with some racial boundry stepping and some of the finest "inter-species erotica" this side of the internet. If you're an easily offended pussy, stop reading right now and forget this one. In fact, if you were insulted by that last sentence, it didn't even scratch the surface of the content of this film. R rated? Yes. And I'm shocked it isn't NC-17.
As for the cast, most of the originals are back. Dante and Randall are still bickering old pals working together in the service industry. And what Smith film would be complete without the pot-smoking (albeit becoming tiresome) duo of Jay and Silent Bob? New-comer Trevor Fehrman plays their lovable, but idiotic, sidekick. And Rosario Dawson brings the female presence to the table. Dawson fits in perfectly with this group. She is very natural and rolls well with the punches; i.e. no qualms about seeing Jason Mewes' dancing completely naked. She was great. The rest of the cast is the same as in previous films: they're just reciting their lines to get a laugh. Which is fine.
So Drew, cut to the chase. Is it good? Well, it's funny. I don't know about good, but it's definitely funny. Most of it is a series of poop chute jokes that you really shouldn't be laughing at (unless you're 13 and watching this on a scrambled cable station at 3am). Still, I laughed my way through this film at every turn. Randall is still as insulting as ever and Jay and Silent Bob are constantly giving people a hard time. The side characters are just there to be repulsed and insulted.
You can't get through a Smith film, of course, without several pop-culture references. Specifically most mentioned is Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. Of which a great debate is brought about of the two trilogies. Randall wins this debate in my very biassed opinion. A few other films are mentioned or made reference to, and if you haven't seen them or can't make the connection, you'll probably wonder why everyone else in the theater is laughing. Although if you're reading this review, chances are you've seen the other films referenced.
Two problems I had with the movie: One, a very minor point, were the two musical numbers. They are quick, but pointless, dumb and not funny. But like I said, fairly quick, so whatever. The second problem was the last 20 minutes or so. It gets very sappy and "heartwarming." I put that in quotes, because you really can't be heartwarmed by these characters. Anderson (Randall) tries his best at an Oscar at one point and this is the kind of stuff we don't need. I thought there would be another 20 minutes of funny stuff after the buddy-buddy crap in the final chapter, but alas, there was not. It just ended. The time flew by as I was laughing and this is one complaint I rarely make, but it was too short!
Anyone that is going to see this movie has probably already made up their mind on whether they are going or not. This review is of little consequence. But let me say this to the fans planning on attending a screening: yes, it's funny. Yes, you'll have a good time. Is it as good or even as funny as "Clerks 1," "Dogma," or "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back?" No. But who cares? You're still gonna laugh when Randall tells a customer he's an annoying prick for liking "Lord of the Rings." If you don't laugh, you're probably not at the theater anyway. Something tells me we haven't seen the last of Jay and Silent Bob.
Links:
IMDb.com - full cast and crew
Official Site
FLIXSTER PROFILE for Clerks 2
