When Hollywood runs out of original ideas, which seems to happen a lot, they just go back to something that worked in the past, making a sequel, a reboot, or a spin-off. “Jay & Silent Bob Reboot” is, in a way, all three, and the movie makes fun of that fact.
Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) really should require no introduction. They were easily the best thing about Kevin Smith's first movie, the low-budget legend, “Clerks.” These two goofball drug dealers then became the most recurring characters in Smith's films, constantly cropping up to provide comic relief and sage advice. They got their own movie with 2001's "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," in which they travel across the country to stop the production of a movie about themselves.
Almost 20 years later, these two hetero life-mates are still just hanging out in New Jersey, and the movie studios are at it again. Not only are they making a new Jay & Silent Bob movie, they swindle the boys out of the trademark rights to their own names. The boys head back to Hollywood to put a stop to the nonsense.
Along the way, they stop to see Justice (Shannon Elizabeth), Jay's old flame from “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.” Justice has a little surprise for Jay. She has an 18-year-old daughter, and you can do the math on that. Milly (Harley Quinn Smith) has no idea that Jay is her father, but she convinces Jay and Silent Bob to let her and her diverse group of friends hitch a ride to Hollywood. This gives Jay a chance to come to terms with his new life role.
Kevin Smith's career has been, to say the least, uneven. His first film, “Clerks,” is a total classic, despite being rough around the edges. “Mallrats,” by comparison, seemed really sophomoric, but I find that the movie has aged well and is now one of my Kevin Smith favorites. Then there was “Chasing Amy,” which seemed just perfect when I saw it in the cinema, but which didn't hold up so well to repeat viewing. “Dogma” had its moments, but doesn't rate a re-watch. “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back” was silly as hell, but funny on a certain level. 2004's “Jersey Girl” was un-watchable, and 2008's “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” wasn't much better. Those 2 films could have spelled the end of my Kevin-Smith-watching career, but in between he gave us the excellent "Clerks II."
So where does “Jay & Silent Bob
Reboot” fit into this oeuvre? It feels less like a movie and more
like a warts-and-all celebration of Smith's career. It's chock full
of Easter eggs from his previous films, with loads of winking,
self-referential cameos. Smith even put his daughter, Harley Quinn
Smith, in the film, as he has done in several previous movies, and
then they make fun of him for his nepotism. In short, this is one for
the fans. If you haven't seen several of Smith's previous films,
especially “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back,” then there is no
reason to watch the reboot. If you ARE a fanboy, then it's probably
worth watching, if you have nothing better to do. Smith's daughter
drags the movie down a little; she's not that great an actress, and
she is odd-looking. It's also a little off-putting seeing some of
these actors looking so much older, especially Jason Mewes. (Smith,
himself, as Silent Bob, is the exception. He lost a bunch of weight
after a heart attack, and looks better than ever.) So, how does the reboot compare to "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back?" I'd say it's the rare sequel that's at least as good as the original.
2.5 stars out of 5
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