antgoo

8 of 10 stars, +1 for Rosario

Friday was an exceptionally awesome day. I got to skip work and go see Talladega Nights with my co-workers, on the clock and free of charge. Then, after a few hours of lazing about and writing the easiest review ever (for a film that was so awesome that there was little to critique), I found myself back at the box office for another film… Kevin Smith’s Clerks II.

characters & development

Most of Smith’s films are character driven. His best films usually have a limited number of locations, as simple, yet well defined plot and a strong focus on conversations between interesting characters and witty banter. The original Clerks was the epitome of this style. Clerks II is no exception.

Randal and Dante are back to fill their roles as loveable losers. After the Mini Mart burns down, Dante and Randal find themselves working at Mooby’s, a Jersey burger joint. We join the clerks on Dante’s last day, as he’s engaged and about to move to Florida with his new fiance. The film follows the events of that day.

Our heroes are as funny as ever. but 10 years have passed since the last film and the clerks have aged and they now must deal with what to do with their lives now that they’re 30-somethings. Hilarity ensues. Fans of the original indie hit will not be disappointed by this sequel.

on a personal note…

When the original came out, I loved the sarcastic, slacker vibe it put off. But now that I’m 25 and on the brink of the rest of my life, I find myself facing the same issues of growing up and finding my place in the world. So, this movie hits pretty close to home for me.

Kevin Smith and his cast do a good job of making his characters feel more like real people than any film I’ve seen in a long time. Dante and Randal talk to each other like I talk to my friends. They talk about the same things I find myself talking about while cruising the streets of Augusta with my buddy looking for something to do. It’s obvious that Smith and the actors have a good grasp of their target audience.

i’m in love

Rosario Dawson’s character, Becky, steals the show. She’s a smoking hottie. She’s funny. She’s down to earth. She’s totally believable as a character and as a person. Debbie fits right in with the clerks and goes blow for blow with Randal on the insults. In a nutshell, she’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a girl. Admittedly, my slobbering over Dawson definitely has some bearing on my score of this movie, but I never said I had to be fair. Trust me… she’s worth it.

supporting cast

Jay and Silent Bob are there, as funny and offensive as ever. They’re basically comic filler, but serve their typical role as deus ex machina (look it up), though they fill this role in a pretty unexpected way.

There are a few cameo appearances (Wanda Sykes, Ben Affleck & Jason Lee among others).

not for everyone

As I stated earlier, Smith has good grasp on who his target audience is and how to reach them. Clerks II will appeal greatly to a 20-30 something primarily male audience, who were fans of the original. Some outside of this demographic may see this film and find it amusing, but this, like all of Smith’s films that are worth anything(i.e, not Jersey Girl), is a sniper-rifle of a film and won’t appeal to broad audiences.

A co-worker of mine saw Clerks II on opening night and she didn’t like it very much. This is not a movie for everyone. The humor is juvenile at best. If you’re offended by crude sexual humor or HEAVY profanity, this is not the film for you. There are plenty of inside jokes that only fans of Smith’s other films will get and many more Star Wars and Lord of the Rings jokes that will go over most people’s head. If you’ve enjoyed Kevin Smith’s other films and you haven’t seen this film, then get your ass down to the movie house and see this movie!