Jay
and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
For everyone who thought that "Mallrats"
was the biggest piece of shit that Kevin Smith ever
made, there is now "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."
Here Smith uses the old everything-and-the-kitchen-sink
approach to fulfil his promise as the "independent"
film culture's most probably sell-out. With no serious
writing, plot or characters to bog him down, Smith
just seems to let his film meander and waddle it's
way to it's lackluster and dumb conclusion. Along
the way, he tries desperately to skewer many Hollywood
films, and rarely succeeds. Many of the films being
lampooned here are so dreadfully old - and already
spoofed beyond reproach, that it does little to improve
the film. Even his spoof of "Scooby Do," a film that
hasn't even come out yet, is lame.
Smith also has a real annoying habit
here of thinking himself just too damn cute. The self-referencial
jokes fly and generally land with a thud. There are
no less than three times in the film where characters/actors
make reference to something about this movie they
are in and then look at the camera. You know it's
one of those dumb kinda jokes where someone explains
the plot of the film we are watching and then another
characters says, "Who'd watch a dumb film like that?"
and then everyone on screen looks at the camera/audience.
Dumb. Not funny. Smith, of course, here, often lampoons
his own films and characters but it doesn't really
work. The best moments of this so-called comedy work
best when actors skewer themselves. Now, Ben Affleck
cannot do it. He sucks. But Matt Damon does it rather
well. And Jason Biggs and James Van Der Beek really
make it work.
Smith calls in all his favors and almost
everyone who has ever been in one of his films shows
up. Those guys from "Clerks" are here. Shannon Dougherty,
George Carlin, Joey Lauren-Adams, Jason Lee, Chris
Rock, Affleck and Damon, and even Alanis Morrissette
(gotta wait til the very end) show up here and there,
sometimes playing characters other then the ones they
first played for Smith.
Newcomers to Smith's world, known to
fans as the View Askewniverse, also appear. These
include (I think) Carrie Fisher, Diedrich Bader, Will
Farrell, Ali Larter, Judd Nelson, Seann William Scott,
and Mark Hamill. Fisher and Hamill, of course, were
in "Star Wars" and Smith masturbates to that film
frequently here. Meanwhile, Folks like Steve Kmetko
and Jules Asner (of the cable channel E!) play themselves.
Jon Stewart shows up and might as well be playing
himself. There is plenty of hit-and-miss comedy with
all involved.
Of course the real star of "J&SBSB"
is Jason Mewes, the cute, long-haired, pothead who
first appeared in Smith "Clerks" and has appeared,
with Smith, in every one of his films. Mewes is a
badass, a really funny guy. Why no other director
can put his massive talents to work successfully is
beyond me. Mewes makes Smith's relentless fart and
sex jokes sparkle and ignites almost every scene he
is in. This guy is a God and deserves a starring role
in film. And, as I've said before, he is just as cute
as fuck. I would eat him alive!
The most glaring aspect of Jay and
Silent Bob, as characters, has always been the suggestion
of some sort of repressed homosexual feelings of the
two characters. This becomes a centerpiece of "J&SBSB."
Smith was nice enough to donate money to GLAAD (Gay
and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) when they
complained about all the gay jokes in the film. This
was not necessary. This film is in no way, shape or
form anti-gay. This film embraces gay culture for
one of it's best asset's: The humor. Smith understands
that gay jokes are FUNNY. In his film, on several
occasions, his lead character, the repressed Jay,
makes literal pronouncements that he is not gay. Smith
makes mocking fun of the label obsessed society we
live in by doing this. His Jay, who is secure enough
in his friendship to call Bob his "hetero life partner,"
has to make this pronouncement because society labels
and condemns homosexuality. Jay nor Bob are homophobic
but they live in a world that IS homophobic. And as
two males obviously in love with one and other, in
the purest sense of the idea, the more vocal of the
two finds it necessary to continually pronounce his
heterosexuality. That says nothing about Smith or
Mewes or these characters. That says everything about
society. By making homosexuality funny and noticeable,
Smith invites acceptance and understanding. It's obvious
to anyone who is has an IQ over ten.
The most blatant and gay-friendly moment
in the film comes when the duo are "trapped" into
a situation where Silent Bob is going to have to perform
oral sex on Jay to save them. (Imagine that set-up).
Smith begins the undertaking when they are saved.
After the moment, Jay chides Bob that he was actually
going to do it, Smith shakes his head "no," he wasn't
and as Jay turns to leave, Bob looks at the camera
and shakes his head yes. Now, Silent Bob may or may
not be gay/bi/whatever, but here Smith at least suggests
that it is possible. Smith isn't afraid to suggest
anything (and neither has Mewes been in the past film).
It is this continual "playing" with sexual identity
that Smith can keep the gay humor in the film alive
and, most important, make us remember that it doesn't
really matter. Thousands upon thousands of young males
love Jay and Silent Bob as characters. By continually
playing with their sexual identity, Smith forces these
fans to realize that they would love and enjoy and
care about these men no matter what their sexual identity
might be. It is quite possibly some of the most important
work in the acceptance of gay people that an artist
has offered to pop culture ever. Unlike "gay" cinema,
Smith is not "preaching to the choir." His films reach
a much more mainstream and young audience and his
films continue to reinforce gay life as simply another
means of sexual expression. And, even better, he does
so with humor.
Humor is again Smith's biggest strong
and weak points. He is sophomoric in creating a world
where piss and fart and shit and cum and gay jokes
are the height of humor. It can be quite dumb yet
Smith has elevated these to an artform. The underlying
quality of his work is that of repressed maturity.
In his world, two guys can be as close as lovers without
ever actually committing a sexual act together. His
Jay and Silent Bob represent that penultimate of male
bonding. And if people want to suggest that the two
are gay, so be it. They may protest and play and joke
but the ultimate end is that this suggestion never
harms their love for one and other. Society can try
and "label" and pigeonhole the duo but they are always,
like the best of friends, impervious to what others
think. In that way, their love becomes much more tangible
and important. And it reinforces the idea that men
can appear to be soft and loving and close - and even
appear gay, yet still be men. Being gay or (worse?)
appearing gay is does not make you less of a man.
Or less of a person.
Oh yeah, "Jay and Silent Bob Strike
Back." It has rare moments of humor. But it's for
Smith's fan base only. See "Clerks" or "Dogma" or
"Mallrats" or "Chasing Amy" first if you aren't already
a big fan. After you see those four films, you'll
want to see "J&SBSB." Because after you see those
four films, you will be a fan.
Note:
Also with appearances by Wes Craven,
Shannon Elizabeth, Jaime Kennedy, Gus Van Sant, and
Tracy Morgan.
