Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2002, VHS)

I was fortunate to be off on this Labor Day weekend and had the opportunity to go to the movies for I though would be a little comedy relief. Kevin Smith s new comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike back is a comedy that takes pot shots at Hollywood, Miramax Films, Internet geeks, Generation X rs, drugs and of course sleazy sex jokes. In fact, if you removed the sexual innuendos, the movie would probably be about 30 minutes shorter.

This was my first Kevin Smith film so I was not familiar with his previous films, or his characters Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob who plays himself appear. However, watching the movie I got the sinking feeling that perhaps I should have viewed some of Smith s previous films, which would have prepared my ears for some of the raunchy humor found in the movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001).

Plot

The simple loosely plotted story revolves around the abuse of money and power. It centers on a comic duo, the loudmouth stoner Jay played by Jason Mewes and the introverted Silent Bob played by Kevin Smith. Jay and Silent Bob loaded with obscenities are making a cross-country adventure from New Jersey to Hollywood, in an effort to stop Miramax Films from making a film based on Blunt man and Chronic, which are comic book characters based on themselves. Banky Edwards played by Jason Lee sold the rights to Miramax without cutting Jay and Silent Bob in on it. When the pair find out there won t be any royalties coming their way, they set out to sabotage the flim at all cost.

Along the way to LA, the duo meet up with a quartet of pretty diamond thieves; Sissy played by actress Eliza Dushku, Chrissy played by actress Ali Larter, Missy played by actress Jennifer Schwalbach and Justice played by actress Shannon Elizabeth plus an orangutan. The escaped orangutan gets a federal wildlife marshal after them and the whole shebang climaxes as Jay and Silent Bob make it to the Miramax lot, crashing through real and imaginary sets. If it were not for Banky Edwards, Jay and Silent Bob would still be hanging out at a nearby New Jersey convenience store, dealing drugs hanging out like losers.

My Take On It

The funniest part of the movie is when Jay and Silent Bob get to Hollywood crashing the set. Even if you have not seen the movies Good Will Hunting 2 Hunting Season, with Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon this hilarious scene will get you laughing. And it's here where Smith's sets himself apart from other directors attempting to get a laugh out of movie parody.

Although some found Mark Hamill who played the character called Cock Knocker funny, I found his role about as funny as a real kick in the groin. I m still searching for the humor in a character that specializes in groin punches.

Depending upon you level of humor and what you find funny some parts of the movie may be down right offensive. Although viewers should not take these types of films seriously, you will always find someone who will quote the things Jay says as the gospel truth forgetting that he plays the part of a buffoonish moron. For example Jay s limited vocabulary reduces women to the b word and I don t mean Barbie. Bottom line, this film constantly depicts women as sexual pawns.

The film may also come across as homophobic to some audiences with such satirical depiction of the male hitchhiker offering oral sex for transportation. Viewers could have been spared the scene were the hitchhiker played by George Carlin performs oral sex on a male truck driver even though the actual graphical scene is not shown, Smith leaves very little for the imagination.

Honestly this movie is one big dirty joke, poking fun at almost every and anything. Nothing is sacred even where a Nun gives them a ride. During the course of the conversation the Nun says, Do unto others as you would have done unto you Jay mistakes this statement to mean that he should provide oral sex on her. Thank goodness Director Smith spares us the vivid sexual details only showing the car stopping abruptly with them being tossed out.

Bottom line, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) is not my type of humor. Instead of spending my money at the theater perhaps I should have pulled out an old videotape of I Love Lucy ? If this movie gets five Stars , then I m clearly, out of step with what we find humorous in Hollywood.

Notable mention goes to the funny cameos from Jason Biggs, James Van Der Beek, Shannon Dougherty, and Ben Affleck. Although Chris Rocks was funny it appears he will be permanently typed cast as the screaming jester of spoofs and comedies.

If you are looking for a good raunchy laugh, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is definitely the ticket. I strongly recommend that the children be left home, this Rated R movie is filled with non-stop crude dirty sexual humor, plus the f word is used over 200 times plus other colorful phrases and a rampant drug theme that permeates the movie like cheap bottle of cologne.

If you make it to the end of the movie, there is cameo appearance from Alanis Morissette. Just because I did not enjoy Smith's style of comedy does not mean this film is a total waste, some of the parodies in the film were amusing, I m, going to use that age old adage, to each his or her own on.