Thank God Kevin Smith came to his senses and gave us Clerks II, the brilliant return to the View Askinewiverse after the cowardly sellout Jersey Girl. The movie is slightly better than the original, and stands firmly with Smiths masterpieces Mallrats and Chasing Amy.
The film does what a sequel should do- it continues the story without repeating. The memories of Clerks, one of the most influential films of the 90s are with the audience at all times during the picture, and Smith shows us what would happen to his now legendary characters if time had passed. Its like fictional comedy version of Michael Apteds Up films.
Like the first film, Clerks II chronicles a single day in the lives of Dante (Brian OHalloran) and Randall (Jeff Anderson) as they work a piece of shit job. The convenience store they worked at in the first film has burned down, so their lot is even worse- they work at a McDonalds-like fast food restaurant. There social lives have not improved much either, both still live with their moms, although there is hope on the horizon for Dante- he is engaged to Emma (Jennifer Schwarlbach Smith), and anticipating a movie to Florida, where Emmas father will pay for the wedding and give him a car wash to work at. Dante really seems to have feelings for his boss, Becky (Rosario Dawson), but unfortunately she doesnt believe in romantic love, and anyway, why would he want to turn down a good thing?
Like every Smith film (except Jersey Girl, of course), there are a lot of sidetracks and conversations about pop culture, and a lot great supporting characters (Jay and Silent Bob, who may be the funniest comedic creations of our generation return, and a hilarious repressed Transformers geek Elias (Trevor Fuhrman)). The film goes a little deeper than the original, because of the time has passed. Everyone could I identify with the first movie, because almost everyone has worked a lousy job, but here, Dante and Randall have gone from being down on their luck to losers- no college, no prospects, no real hope. There is real suspense as to how things will turn out, and if Jay and Silent Bob arent going to be there in real life to save us when we are down on our luck, well, thats the magic of the movies.
There are a few minor problems- Dawson is great actress (and major babe), but her character seemed a bit too successful to work at a fast food restaurant, and there is a musical number that is unnecessary and disrupts the reality of the film, but the quality of everything else easily overrides these problems. I am looking forward to Clerks III, in 2018, and see how Dante and Randall are dealing with their 40s. If someone asked me who is the defining cinematic, comedic presence of our generation is, Kevin Smith is the obvious answer. **** you, Wes Anderson.
Clerks II (2006)