Smith's Fifth Fun-bag (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (DVD))

Member Name: Terry Mcintyre

Product:	Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (DVD)
Date:	29/07/02 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Kevin Smith film, refs, gags galore

Disadvantages: non-fans may not get the joke

In the wonderful world of movies there is such a thing as a ‘vanity project’. These are films that are only made to satisfy a director or star who is more often than not bidding for Oscar glory. ‘Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back’ is such a project created by writer/director/ God (no, hang on, that’s Alanis Morrisette!) Kevin Smith. It’s not a normal vanity project though-it’s made purely for his fans rather than himself. It provides no other use than to say goodbye to the previous four films and Smith’s ‘View Askewniverse’ and the perfect symbols for all of that are Jay and Silent Bob the druggie morons that have appeared somewhere in each film. Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course- it makes for a brilliantly funny film packed with references, oddball characters and parodies.

I had some reservations about this film even though I’m a big Kevin Smith fan and knew that it would have to be pretty awful for me not to like it. I did wonder whether 2 one-joke characters like Jay and his ‘hetro life mate’ Bob could carry an entire movie. I mean while they were great, realistic characters in ‘Clerks’ they turned more slapstick and cartoony in ‘Mallrats and seemed a bit out of place amongst the drama and themes of 'Chasing Amy’ and ‘Dogma’. Luckily then ‘Strike Back’ isn’t a drama or even a straight comedy piece it’s more of a sketch type movie. A series of set pieces, gags, in-jokes and parodies linked together by our two heroes a bit like ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’.

The quest in question starts when the two are excluded from their favourite hang out namely the Quick Stop convenience store from ‘Clerks’ by Dante and Randal (‘Jay told us you two got married last week dressed as Stormtroopers’). Then they visit Brodie (‘Mallrats’)
and find out that a film is to be made of their comic book alter egos Bluntman and Chronic created by ‘Chasing Amy’ artists Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards. After visiting Holden they decide to stop the movie in order to stop Internet gossips from having a go at them. That’s only the premise and both the film and myself have only begun to reference.

Along the way they meet up with many previous stars from Smith’s films plus many more including the ever present Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Shannon Elizabeth, Eliza Dushku, Jason Biggs (‘you’re the pie- f**ker!’), James Van der Beek, Chris Rock and Mark Hamill. Best bits include the all girl jewel thief gang, Rock’s pro-black director, the café arrest (‘my friend he loves the cock’), Jays dance to Bon Jovi’s ‘Bad Medicine’ and the ‘Bluntman and Chronic’ shoot +premiere in which many View Askew stars turn up. My two favourite moments include Jay’s ‘Planet of the Apes’ nightmare featuring my favourite line of the whole film: “we shall no longer spank the monkey, the monkey shall spank us”. Also the return of the Clerks Dante and Randal (“are you even supposed to be here today?’ ‘Don’t get me started!”) in the opening and closing sequences. There are many parodies such as the aforementioned ‘Planet of the Apes’, E.T, Good Will Hunting, Scream, Miramax etc all done with great wit-well and a goodly share of rude jokes.

‘Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back’ won’t please everyone-in fact you won’t even get the whole joke if you haven’t already seen all of Kevin Smith’s films but I think it’s bound to raise a few chuckles, on the back of the current gross out flick boom if nothing else, I would still recommend it to a non-Smith fan and hopefully it may even convert one or two. It isn’t Smith’s best film
by a long shot (my favourite still remains ‘Clerks’) but then I don’t think it was ever meant to be. Just a small film bridging the gap between the era’s of Smith’s filmmaking and furthermore…oh damn! my pager’s gone off again…there’s another dead hooker in Affleck’s trailer!

Summary: