Review of Clerks II (2006) by Sean W — 21 Jul 2011

Discovering Kevin Smith was like discovering a friend of yours who happened to make movies. Let's not kid ourselves, there's nobody you know that talks like the characters in a Kevin Smith film, but they touch upon everything you've ever talked about with your friends or loved ones. Pop culture, sexual acts . . . and by bringing the seemingly mundane everyday conversation into a movie (with a little written flair), Kevin Smith has made a name for himself. He's a fantastic writer and has a penchant for crafting great dialogue. It's like a theme park for your ears (albeit a very crude one).

Once upon a time, a convenience store clerk dropped out of film school and wrote a movie based on his experiences. He went on to write and direct other films, touching on other topics like love or religion. And now he's come full circle, crafting a sequel to the indie hit that made him a "star." Admittedly, the very idea of it sounds like he's selling out but I'm happy to report that Clerks II is one of the rare sequels that sits alongside the original as a great movie. Instead of retreading familiar territory, Kevin Smith takes the same characters and delivers a different message through them. Sure, there's a few nods to the original and it doesn't have the same passion running through its veins, but it is more accessible than it's predecessor, and that counts for something.

With Clerks II, we catch up with our Gen-X heroes Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) 11 years later. The film opens on a familiar black and white location, the Quick Stop, and it doesn't take long before Dante discovers the building on fire. This sets the wheels in motion for these thirty-somethings, as they're forced to find new jobs at the fast food giant Mooby's, and re-evaluate their lives in the process.

The movie doesn't take long to settle into familiar territory, as Randal rips apart customer after customer and Dante does his best to contain him. You begin to wonder how the two remained friends all this time, but it's addressed later in the film. There's some new characters introduced, and the crux of the plot hangs on the fact that Dante is about to get married, and move out of Jersey for good. This creates a conundrum of sorts for Dante, but also brings in Randal's character a bit more personally. Of course, View Askew favorites Jay and Silent Bob return to inject the right dose of comedy when things tend to get a little too serious.

I love this movie. I'll be the first to admit that the dialogue doesn't always sound natural, but it's always fun to go with. It's not hard to empathize with these characters and the dealings with customer after annoying customer, but I also appreciated the new outlook these characters have. Why wouldn't Dante want to settle down and move on with his life? What's been holding him back? And for the emotional side of things, these two life-long best friends are put to the test as their relationship is coming to an end. Yeah, the term "bro-mance" is out there nowadays, but one shouldn't forget that Kevin Smith was bringing into light man-on-man relationships before the term was ever in existence. Just check out the original Clerks, if need be.

The movie's hilarious, but it also hits all the right emotional beats. There's a romance in there, but to be honest it takes a back seat to the relationship between Dante and Randal. And that's how it should be. More often than not, women come and go. But your best friends (should) have your back. The film's denouement is about as cathartic as it gets for me. I've always put a lot of stock into my friends, and who hasn't wondered where the fuck their life is headed?

For those of you already accustomed to Kevin Smith, you'll feel right at home here. It's one of Smith's best films, and every time the end credits hit, I always think the same thing: I hope we get another Clerks in another 10 years.