clerksII

AC/BN 2006 97m English
MV/GL

CAST: Brian O'Halloran; Jeff Anderson; Rosario Dawson; Jason Mewes; Trevor Fehrman; Jennifer Schwalbach; Jason Lee & Kevin Smith

CREDITS: Director/Screenwriter/Editor: Kevin Smith; Producer: Scott Mosier; Director of Photography: David Klein; Production Designer: Robert Holtzman; Costume Designer: Roseanne Fiedler; Music: James L. Venable

THE SYNOPSIS

It’s been a whole 10 years since we’ve hung out with convenience store clerks Dante Hicks (O’Halloran) and Randal Graves (Anderson). In the interim, they had to get new jobs because the store burned down--thanks to Randal’s forgetfulness and a burning coffee pot.

Now working together at fast food joint Mooby’s, Dante plans to quit, move down to Florida and marry his, but demanding fiancee Emma (Schwalbach). Randal’s ticked because he’s losing his best friend and Mooby’s manager, sweet and sexy Becky (Dawson) is not so thrilled either because she’s got the hots for Dante (as he does for her).

Outside, Jay (Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) wax philosophy on everything...so it’s just another day in Central Jersey.

Complications arise when Becky admits that she’s pregnant (nice goin’ Dante) and Randal curses his friend for leaving. Engagements are broken up, profanity spews about, an old high school geek-turned-millionaire dot.com rival appears (Lee) and so does a bestiality act that Randal’s hired for Dante’s bachelor party--turns out that the dancer is a he, not a she and he gets it on with a donkey! Yuckko!

In the end, Dante stays and marries Becky; also, he and Randal open a new convenience store thanks to the generosity of Jay and Silent Bob--who raked up mucho money selling weed outside!

THE CRITIQUE

Going back to his Jersey roots, filmmaker Kevin Smith revisits the scene (and setting) of his breakout movie, Clerks (1994) for this ribald-yet-lame sequel. From what I’ve heard, this movie marked the first time in 30 years that late Good Morning America film critic Joel Siegel had walked out on a movie halfway through. Joel, baby...even I stuck it out!

Not that I was ever a Kevin Smith fan myself, but I do appreciate his love and respect for the cinema--equaled by the likes of me, of course! However, I shall never comprehend why this guy from Jersey (again like me) keeps getting his movies greenlit. Did he make some Faustian pact with the Weinstein Brothers, or what?

Many years have passed since the original, but I don’t think anyone’s told Smith and his posse. Watching this movie gave me the feeling that it was really the mid-90s all over again. Newsflash dudes: it’s not!! OK...no more ranting about this guy (who does some to be a rather amiable person after all).

CLERKS II was made on a low-budget of about $5,000,000--and for this kind of story, it seems appropriate. Shot in New Jersey and California, Smith gets the most for his bucks. The movie is obviously a labor of love for the filmmakers and returning cast members and it shows.

As a director, editor & screenwriter, Smith goes for it. Nothing is too raunchy and no movie reference is too obscure. To illustrate my point: outside of a few of us--who would get that the whole Jason Mewes dancing to “Goodbye Horses” while putting on lipstick is a reference to The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)? Exactly.

Cinematographically-speaking, CLERKS II was shot on 35mm film and in color (an upgrade over the grainy 16mm film used for the original). It’s DP, David Klein, also shot the original--so he must’ve been in hog heaven revisiting the story and characters in full color! Decently-shot, but nothing to brag about.

Most of the original cast is back, especially main actors O’ Halloran and Anderson--who anchor the movie with some good chemistry. The Mewes and Smith characters are back and Mewes scores some big laughs--it’s nice to see the guy off of drugs. I hope that it lasts. Rosario Dawson is a lovely and talented actress and its nice to see her bring some balance to the proceedings. And yes, that sexy Jennifer Schwalbach is Mrs. Kevin Smith, so go figure!

Oh yes, gotta mention Jason Lee’s amusing cameo in this one--supposedly shot on his day off from shooting his popular TV show My Name Is Earl. Check out those cameos by Ben Affleck and Wanda Sykes, too. They’re amusing.

So what can I say? CLERKS II is another slacker comedy and in reality--an unnecessary sequel to an overrated and glorified student film. But hey, I did laugh a few times and that should count for something.

THE BOTTOM LINE

A raunchy, intermittently-amusing and totally unnecessary follow-up to a cult classic that tickles the ribs a few times. However, the movie is obviously-geared towards Clerks and Kevin Smith fans--thus most others won’t get it, and at the very least--be turned off by the gratuitous language and adult content. Still, I laughed a few times.

And yes, echoing the sentiments of Jeff Anderson’s character in CLERKS II--the original Star Wars trilogy is surely better than The Lord Of The Rings trilogy! Any hobbits who have a problem with that can kiss my bleeping bantha ass, too!