Raunchier, funnier, filled with better acting, and with a much deeper emotional resonance than the first one (And that's saying something because 'Clerks' is in my top 25 films of all time). Clerks II did prove you can go home again and have an even better time during your second stay!Now it must be said I have much more in common with the characters Randal and Dante than I like to admit (especially Randal), but sadly I do. This film made me laugh out loud and pee my pants but then it also made me get all quiet and think "Jeez I know exactly how that guy feels!" followed by a twinge of sadness for the Character.
Nowhere is this emotion in the film more prevalent than in a classic Kevin Smith scene of Dante and Randal talking back and forth after skipping out of work to race some Go Karts. After some well timed jokes and dialogue, Dante asks Randal why he needs to go to the Go Karts to calm down when he gets upset. Randal just responds something to the effect of "Cause it reminds me when times were simpler and everything was ahead of you, instead of now" and the look of sadness on actor Jeff Anderson's face is so full of emotion and sadness when he said it, it really got to me. Just an outstanding delivery.
If the emotion is what makes this film brilliant at times, it's the funny that maintains that level. Dick and fart jokes reign supreme, as well as the most shocking take on racist epithets that I have ever seen on film. And the beauty is after you see it, it kind of makes you think. And that is why Clerks II should be, and will be, set apart from your average gross out comedy. The man takes base subject matter and can make you think!
It wouldn't be a clerks movie if Jay and Silent Bob didn't show up and once again they do not disappoint nor are they overused or overexposed in the film. Smith knows when to bring them in and when to reel them back. The beautiful Rosario Dawson is fantastic as Randal and Dante's boss, but some of the best laughs come from Trevor Fehrman as Elias. The scene with Elias and Randal talking about a troll named 'Pillow Pants', it must be seen to be believed.
So is this film for everyone? Hell no. Will some say I'm crazy for liking it better than Clerks? More than likely! Will some say I'm crazy for liking it at all? I don't doubt it. But for me this film hit all the right notes and much like the first Clerks will be watched by me for years to come!
4 comments:
Man . . . you're not crazy!
I liked the film very much too. Kevin Smith is brilliant in how how treats such taboo subject matters. He shocks first then works you through the situations with lucidly reasoned dialogue. Like you said, he makes you think. Outstanding work.
If course this movie has more emotional resonance than the first; the first had none
In terms of the first Clerks having no emotional resonance, I'd have to completely disagree. Obviously it's a very subjective thing, but if the first film didn't connect on an emotional level with many people I doubt anyone would be talking about it today, or much less watching it's sequel in theaters as we speak.
And let us remmeber connecting emotionally with an audience doesn't just mean making them sad, but rather feel what the characters feel. And as I said in my blog I (sadly) relate very much with the characters of Dante and Randal. Both Clerks films make me invest in those Characters emotionally... Clerks II just happens to do it a bit better.
zHey there. Sandor here.
There's a bunch of movies
we should talk about
that actually have a story
and are rich in dialogue,
from quite a while ago,
I'm wondering you've seen.
Anyway, I think we
have the perfect thing for
you for the fan club, if you're
interested...seeing as how much
work you put into this blog.
catch you later
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