Clerks II [2006]

Usually sequels just don’t work, especially when we are talking about comedies. This sequel, however, was phenomenal. The boys are back and they are older, but not wiser. Shot 12 years after the first Clerks, the second part continues with the same setup: our protagonists are working dead end jobs, this time in a little bigger, McDonald’s type restaurant. After the Jersey Girl fiasco, Kevin Smith was back with a bang. And this time he had money, so instead of $27 000, Clerks II features a hefty $5 million budget. In case you are wondering should you see the first part before checking out this one, it is not necessary because the story is relatively simplistic. The main thing here is, as it was in the original, that motherfucking script. Again we are treated with some heated discussions over sexual preferences, popular movies, rude customers and many more. This time they are joined by Rosario Dawson and Jason Lee, providing even more laughs and quality.

We pick up the story eleven years after that faithful day in Quick Stop convenience store. Randal forgot to turn off the stove and both Quick Stop, where Dante works, and RST video store where Randal works, were burned. Now unemployed, they get a job at Mooby’s, a fast food restaurant where they will realize that some things never change. This time they even have a manager and it is going to be very interesting how our dynamic duo will face this new environment.

If you thought that the first part went too far with some of the jokes, well then, it’s better to be prepared for the second part. Oh no, oh hell no, they didn’t! They are making fun of almost everything, staying on top of current events and trends. This just proves that Kevin Smith is really funny and if you liked his movies, you might wanna check out his stand-up routines that are just as funny, if not even funnier. As twelve years have passed, and our characters are also twelve years older, making both parts of this movie a magnificent character study. In the first part they were working a dead end job in smaller store with the direct contact to the owner while they are now working dead end jobs in a larger environment with a restaurant manager watching over them. You might say that nothing has changed, but surely twelve years have passed. This almost nihilistic angle of the movie is less explored because it can be a bit hard to swallow, considering just how funny and good the movie is, but if you like these things, knock yourself out.

Director: Kevin Smith

Cast: Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Rosario Dawson

Fun Stuff: There are 16 uses of the term “ass to mouth”. The first 14 alone are in the sequence that begins with Randal saying the seventeen year old girls like the practice.

Rating:

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424345/