Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

2001

Director: Kevin Smith

Writer: Kevin Smith

104 Minutes

This was the first film that Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill had appeared in since Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi. The list continues with notable actors including Will Ferrell, Ben Affleck, Shannon Elizabeth, George Carlin, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, Seann William Scott, Judd Nelson, Shannen Doherty, Jason Lee, Joey Lauren Adams, and Alanis Morissette. Even without these bankable stars, the movie would have been enjoyable.

Because who doesn’t want to see Eliza Dushku and Ali Larter in leather.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is about Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) journeying across the country to stop a film being made about their alter egos Bluntman and Chronic.

It was supposed to be the final film in the View-Askew Universe. When Kevin Smith decided to make Clerks II, the universe once again was established. This universe is a series of inside jokes, movies references, and nods to characters and their dogs (Walt Flannigan). Being apart of the joke and knowing the people involved invites you into the Kevin Smith world that connects you to his life, reality, and humor. We are friends of Kevin because of these references.

We know him or feel like we do.

In the scene above, Jay and Silent Bob have hitched a ride and stop at a convenience store. The catalyst to this adventure was their arrest outside the Quick Stop convenience store where they sold drugs and were outspoken commentators. Once they are in front of *this* convenience store, they assume their normal position.

Something isn’t right.

They switch places, but it’s still off. It’s off because it’s *not* the Quick Stop. These two characters are out of their element. They are on the road. They are in another world, different than Jersey, and cannot accept the separation from their roots.

This is the entire film.

We watch films like Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back because we like to see two stoner characters in a different world, interacting with beautiful vixens, and causing havoc at every venue. It’s the fish out of water genre and Jay and Silent Bob flap around, yell obscenities, and steal monkeys.

For God Sake, they called Jason Biggs a pie-fucker.

It’s what makes these films great, but you have to know the world. Kevin Smith has a small army of loyal fans apart of it. We know about the girl who died in the YMCA pool, pillowpants, William “Snowball” Manchild, stink palms, Branky’s tracer complex, and the milkmaids.

Kevin Smith is a friend and makes movies for his friends. He has about 50 million of them. Probably more.

Jay and Silent Bob will never die. They live on with the DVD sales. But, there is something special about these two characters. It’s something real.

To end, Jay said it best: I hope one rips the other one's shirt off and we see some fuckin titties floppin around, yeah!

Like I said, something real.