This sequel to director Kevin Smith's breakthrough indie sensation returns 10 years after the events of the first film to see where its main characters are now. Well they're pretty much in the same place as they were before.
The film begins with the convenience store — where Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) worked in the original — burning to the ground. Then we jump a few years forward in time with the duo flipping burgers at the Mooby's fast food joint. It's Dante's last day for he is moving to Florida with his fiancée Emma (Jennifer Schwalbach, JERSEY GIRL), where he will work in his future father-in-law's car wash.
Also returning is drug dealers Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith), who are now fresh out of rehab and hanging out in front of the Mooby's. Added to the cast are Mooby's manager Becky (Rosario Dawson, ALEXANDER), who didn't plan to be working fast food for so long when she moved back home to care for her sick uncle, and Elias (Trevor Fehrman, CHEATS), a LORD OF THE RINGS-obsessed conservative Christian who Randal loves to torture.
Dante and Randal's relationship really hasn't changed. Dante is appalled at the many rude things that come out of Randal's mouth. They both skirt by at work putting forth as little effort as possible. However, Dante has changed a bit. He seems to have grown up or is it that he's just been broken? He seems to like his attractive fiancée, but also has an eye for Becky. Is getting older forcing him into life changes that he doesn't really want, because he thinks he has to?
When reviewing the film, Roger Ebert called it shallow. I disagree, because I don't believe that the film is shallow, only its characters. But they're shallow only because that's their choice. Smith observes Dante and Randal very well. They are simple guys, who don't have great motivation and don't want much from life. Most often films deal with characters reaching for the brass ring — Dante and Randal would just be satisfied if they could ride the merry-go-round for free.
Smith is respectful to the guy who just wants to get by. It's pretty arrogant to look down on someone else's goals just because they may not be as lofty as your own. Smith understands that finding something that makes you happy in life is really important. For Dante and Randal it's that struggle that is the core of the film.
O'Halloran and Anderson have never been great actors, but they are Dante and Randal. Anderson does have great comedic timing and handles the heavy moments at the end with heart. However, it's Dawson who stands out. She radiates the screen. She makes us believe why Dante would be willing to dump his fiancée in a second for her. And more importantly makes us understand why she would want him to do so. In addition, as always, Jay and Silent Bob add a nice dose of comedy. This can also be said of cameo performances from Jason Lee (TV's MY NAME IS EARL), Wanda Sykes (MONSTER-IN-LAW) and comedian Earthquake.
The original CLERKS is a beloved film for many, so it was a dangerous road to travel in making a sequel. However, Smith succeeds to a great degree because he understands his central characters and builds an honest extension to their story. With its logical and pitch perfect conclusion, I hope to see what Dante and Randal are up to in another 10 years.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
