What can I say that would properly sum up Clerks 2?... it's a fitting conclusion. The whiny, obnoxious and crude duo of Dante and Randal (Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson) are well-loved characters among film nerds. Clerks is the model by which all aspiring filmmakers base their first attempts, either on purpose or unconsciously. The release of Clerks put director Kevin Smith on the map and since 1994 he has had, for the most part, a successful career making movies about boys who won't grow up and the women who inexplicably fall for them.The Kevin Smith microcosm is made up of Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, and Clerks 2. Smith's "View Askewniverse", named for his production company, contains a wide variety of characters; some make multiple appearances (Jay and Silent Bob appear in all of his films), while others seem to exist only within one of Smith's intertwined plots. There are even passing references to characters or events from past Smith films in his later ones to help interconnect the world he has created.
But the trials and tribulations of Dante and Randal are what got this whole mess started. Clerks 2 allows us to catch up with our favorite counter-jockeys and we learn that not a whole lot has changed; in fact the only thing that has changed is that Dante and Randal are now working at Mooby's, and that's only because the Quick-Stop burned down. Neither seem to know what to do with their lives yet, even though they are both rapidly approaching 30. The basic plot is Dante is about to be married and will soon move to Florida with the new wife (played by Smith's real wife) but Dante doesn't exactly seem excited about these new changes in his life, Randal is upset about this but doesn't make his feelings widely known, Dante however may be secretly in love with Mooby's manager Becky (Rosario Dawson). Randal takes out his frustration over losing his best friend on Elias (Trevor Fehrman), a hopeless, Jesus-loving nerd (these are some of the funniest moments in the film).
What I'm trying to say is: go rent it, it's frickin' hilarious. And the story is good too.
1 comment:
I too was not disappointed. Sequels to films done right the first time often leave a bad taste in your mouth about the franchise, but Clerks II stayed true to the spirit that made the original so enjoyable.
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