 Movie
Reviews
with Andy Gough
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (MA)
Directed by Kevin Smith
 'There's a script for this?' Holden (Ben Affleck) introduces Jay and Silent Bob to a little thing called the Internet, which has allowed everyone in America to bitch about movies.
With this film writer/director/ actor Kevin Smith brings to a close the movie voyages of Jay Phat Buds (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith), who have been recurring comic relief characters throughout his earlier 'New Jersey Chronicles' including Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy and Dogma.
Apparently these two characters have spawned a cult following in the US, although heaven knows why. The duo parallel Beavis and Butthead in their puerile stupidity, and Jay's obsession with the use of profanity often makes you wince. While revelling in lowbrow antics that are beneath the newfound feeling he showed in Chasing Amy, Smith's argument for such jokes is that he wants to 'preach tolerance by hiding it in humour.' The joke seems to be that there is no joke other than Smith's tiresome obsession with oral sex.
Smith's on screen role as faithful sidekick Silent Bob unfortunately takes the backseat to the larrikin with the puerile mind. Bob is a far more interesting character who for the most part gets to communicate only with facial expressions and gestures, save for two rather eloquent discourses which make you wonder why the guy stays so damn silent, and wishing that Jay would sometimes take a page from his book and keep his motor mouth shut.
Unlike Smith's earlier films, this flick lacks any depth and is too self-indulgent and is heavily reliant upon the many cameo appearances, as the duo simply lacks the dramatic and comic strength to carry a movie. It asks viewers to make too many concessions to poor taste on the behalf of a few laughs. Sure there are some very funny moments, but Jay's foul mouth and lack of any hint of political correctness make the whole outing overtly painful.
With guest cameos from Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill, Smith takes license to poke fun at Star Wars, as well as many other popular culture references - Planet of the Apes, Charlies Angels, Good Will Hunting and even Scooby Doo also cop a flogging. Smith tends to be very self-referential as well, re-introducing many of the cast of characters established in his earlier films, including Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Chris Rock, George Carlin, and Shannen Doherty.
If you have seen Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy or Dogma then you will know what to expect from Jay and Silent Bob. If you haven't I suggest you check out at least one of them before seeing Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, otherwise you'll probably just be baffled and most likely offended.
While it offers quite a few laughs, there's nothing new here and Smith is capable of so much more. A few times it borders on the stupidity of the awful Rat Race, which also relied on it's all-star cast to draw the laughs.
Lets hope that with this film closing the door on these characters, and having turned 30-something, Kevin Smith will move on to something a little more substantial and adult.
Rating: 
- Evelyn will be back next week to review Kate and Leopold.
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