Cast
Dante Hicks ... Brian O'Halloran
Randall Graves ... Jeff Anderson
Jason Mewes ... Jay
Silent Bob ... Kevin Smith
Becky ... Rosario Dawson
Emma ... Jennifer Schwalbach
Elias ... Trevor Fehrman
MGM, The Weinstein Company and View Askew Productions presents a film written and directed by Kevin Smith. Runtime: 97 minutes. Rated R (for pervasive sexual and crude content, including aberrant sexuality, strong language and some drug material).
First, the bad news: Clerks 2 is not in the same spirit as the 1994 original. The sequel's lack of rawness is not so because the picture is in colour, or has a soundtrack with some recognizable tunes on it, or because "Kevin Smith's a sellout, man." The feel comes from the apologetic filmmaking techniques that would have never found their way into Smith's first picture, even if he had a million dollars.
Take, for example, the scene where Randall (Anderson) encourages Dante (O'Halloran) to run after the owner of the New Jersey Mooby's, the film's McDonalds equivalent where the slacker now-thirty-somethings are now employed. See, Dante is on the cusp of success, just one day away from moving to Florida with his clingy fiance, Emma. Emma's parents are buying the soon-to-be newlyweds a home and giving Dante a successful carwash to run. The problem is that Dante's heart is with Becky (Dawson), his superior at Mooby's.
Becky and Dante had a late night romp on the prep table and the revelation that she is pregnant sends Becky running off into the night. Dante follows her, in montage form, to a sappy song. It is the type of sequence that makes you groan, even if you're want to see Dante chase her. Now imagine the first film with a few million dollars behind it. Can you picture Dante pining for Veronica to cheesy Top 40 tunes? No, because Dante isn't the cheesy Top 40 guy, and that's how Clerks 2 feels in spots. Like Smith sacrificed his characters for the Hollywood sameness he has picked up over his twelve year filmmaking career.
Now, the good news: Clerks 2 is funny. Even if it isn't as raw (even with the donkey sex scene) and even if it isn't as unapologetic (even with the donkey sex scene) you will laugh, and you will laugh hard. Most of these chuckles will come at the expense of "new and improved Jay & Silent Bob." The pair had been caught dealing drugs and sent off to rehab, only to come out with a newfound appreciation for religion and a cleaner lifestyle. That doesn't stop them from continuing their old business practices in front of Mooby's. As most people know Jason Mewes successfully kicked his own drug habit and it is great to see how funny he can be when sober. In his first scene he downs a can of Red Bull in one gulp and punts the can, telling it to "Get the fuck out of here." His energy and bright face can't help but make you smile.
Furthermore, the last third of the picture is very effective. Clerks 2 takes a while to start, but once it gets going the sentimentality, and Smith's willingness to lighten the mood for brief moments, heightens the potency. Standard Hollywood devices aside, the closing moments are so touching that you feel like a part of Smith's View Askewniverse. I have no doubt this inclusion is one of the main reasons his films are so successful.
Joining the old crew this time is Elias, the young, bible thumping co-worker who comes to work ecstatic because he learns there is going to be a live action Transformer's movie and his internet handle is already "Optimus Prime." There isn't much to the character, but he does provide some of the film's funnier moments, like the explanation of how good religious parents keep boys away from their good religious daughters. Eventually, Randall's influence takes over and we see a wild side of Elias.
The 411: Clerks 2 is not the original. In fact, sometimes it feels like a bastardized version of the 1994 flick that helped change the face of independent film, but don't be discouraged. If you look around these few pitfalls you will find a film that gives you solid laughs and a sentimental conclusion that nicely wraps up the lives of the two main characters.
