Clerks 2

Director: Kevin Smith

Starring: Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson

The cult original Clerks (1994) saw Dante (O’Halloran) and Randal (Anderson) working at the Quick Stop in an innovative black and white parody of twenty-something adult existence. In Kevin Smith’s sequel, the Quick Stop has burned to the ground, Technicolor is invented, and the now thirty-something friends move to work at Mooby’s (a cartoon cow-themed fast food restaurant).

As in its predecessor, the film takes place in the space of 24 hours, as Dante struggles with the decision to move to Florida with his inappropriate, beautiful and prosperous fiancé, played by Smith’s wife, Jennifer. As the film progresses the sentimental lessons learnt on the value of friendship mark the sequel as different to the first, as does the wider range of humour – not a cult film any more, but a hilariously universal comedy.

New additions to the cast include co-worker Elias (Trevor Fehrman), who has been described as a character who ‘embodies an innocence so complete, it borders on mental illness,’ and Becky (Rosario Dawson); the attractive and moderately peculiar boss at Mooby’s.

Clerks 2 also - and possibly most importantly - heralds the return of comic legends Jay and Silent Bob. Together they stand outside the burger joint selling drugs and contemplating whether this was always the ultimate goal they had aspired to. Well, to tell the truth, Jay contemplates whilst Silent Bob just nods in agreement.

Plot not being a major priority, the film relies on conversation as its main focus for comedy. Anderson seems to have swindled all the best one-liners and his contempt towards Peter Jackson and the Lord of the Rings trilogy (“just three movies of people walking”) is a fine example of the apparent off the cuff gags met with deadpan from any of the poor customers who happen to stray into the restaurant. Though this does, however, include Ben Affleck and Jason Lee.

Despite leaving behind the indie debut, Clerks 2 is so full of hilarity, burgers, heart-warming friendship and inter-species erotica, that it is certainly not worth missing.

Tanya Pengelly