owl and bear

Clerks II: Deluxe Widescreen Edition
2006, View Askew
C+

Clerks II is a really funny film—at times a hilarious film—but it’s mostly just mediocre.

That’s right, I said it: Clerks II is, well, if it were a color, I’d call it ecru. It is a film that shows a totally funny guy—director Kevin Smith—in an attempt to reach a hand out of the scatological, profane works of his past and grasp a smidgen of respectability and maturity. Sadly, Smith misses and falls flat into the excrement known as the film’s second half—which almost made me cry, just like Randal in the film (one of my favorite corrosive characters of all times sheds a tear, and damn it, I don’t like it).

Disturbing things (in a good way): pussy trolls, Jay’s Buffalo Bill dick tuck, Randal’s taking back of the word porch monkey.

No, it’s not all bad, but neither does it even approach Smith’s former brilliance. It is lukewarm, so I spit it out. I believe marriage has tamed the savage beast that was Smith’s wit. Next step? Kid’s movies with Ice Cube. Oh, and if you want a reason to really despise Mr. Smith, check out either of his An Evening With DVDs to see an arrogant bastard, live on stage.