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FILM DETAILS

Certificate 18

Cast Jason Mewes Kevin Smith Ben Affleck Matt Damon Shannon Elizabeth.

Directors Kevin Smith.

Screenwriters Kevin Smith.

Running Time 104 minutes

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Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back
Inconsistent Kevin Smith film devoted to two of his best characters is definitely worth a look.

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Plot
When New Jersey stoners Jay and Silent Bob discover the internet, they discover not only that a film is being made of their lives, but that reaction to this news has provoked a slew of insults directed at them. So they head for LA to disrupt the making of the movie.

Review
Jay and Silent Bob have been weaving their way through Kevin Smith's slack movie tapestry, from the early inspired days of Clerks, through to his recent, mostly panned, Catholic comedy, Dogma. In many ways in these films, they were among the funniest things on offer, blending a touching Tom 'n' Huck naivety with language that could peel paint.

The trouble is, Smith seems to have difficulty leaving the herbally-charged duo behind him. This, he says, is an attempt at closure - specifically a whole movie just for them, after which they will presumably retire to the great convenience store in the sky. But, as the internet dweebs presciently ask in the story, can these two support an entire movie? The answer is... sometimes.

Strike Back is an infuriatingly patchy experience, with moments of inspired foulness. Jay's rant in support of the "Coalition for the Liberation of Itinerant Tree-dwellers" (work it out for yourself) is a highlight, as is Chris Rock's angry, black film director ('They stole Sesame Street from me - I was going to call it Niggas Wid Puppets!).

But the gag hit/miss ratio is really only about 50/50 and the rambling, freewheeling plot is virtually non-existent at points. In the end, it's a kind of stoner Road To... movie, with considerably more references to bitch-slapping than was usual in the Hope/Crosby franchise.

Regulars from the previous movies pop in and out of the less-than-weighty narrative. Matt Damon and Ben Afflect stand out, seen here on the 'set' of Good Will Hunting 2, bitching about their careers ("That'll be your next movie about a gay, golfing serial killer who rides a horse?" Affleck snaps. "Two words: Reindeer Games," Damon retorts). But there are also whole expanses of mirthless celluloid, and, even after an extended Star Wars skit and a cameo by Mark Hamill (Carrie Fisher pops up earlier on), Smith appears to have absolutely no idea how to end it.

Verdict
Distressingly uneven. Like the little girl with the curl, when it's good it's very, very good, but when it's bad it's - well, just gratuitously offensive. But tune out the dreck and there are enough laughs for it to be worthwhile.


Reviewed by Adam Smith

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Average user rating for Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back

Amusing. That's All That's Necessary, Right?

There's no way that this is one of Smith's best. In fact, comparatively, it's most probably one of his worst. But that does not mean for a second that it's a bad film. It's frequently hilarious, and even more frequently terribly offensive. Despite its' inept characters and its' ridiculous premise, Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back is still an entertainingly crude experience that never feels like anything more or less than what it set out to be. ... More

Posted by blaud at 13:15, 06 March 2011 | Report This Post

wtf

. ... More

Posted by kable2010 at 20:36, 06 February 2011 | Report This Post

Boobookittyfuck

This is Smiths 2nd best film (His best being Clerks II) its really funny ... More

Posted by S1lent B0b at 14:20, 09 September 2009 | Report This Post

m

n ... More

Posted by maxmc at 19:31, 26 January 2009 | Report This Post

m

n ... More

Posted by maxmc at 19:31, 26 January 2009 | Report This Post

Rubbish

Not a huge Kevin Smith fan, but all his uneven scripting and miscasting comes back to get him here.more than anything its just boring and predictable.. ... More

Posted by cadz at 14:33, 29 October 2006 | Report This Post

Rubbish

Not a huge Kevin Smith fan, but all his uneven scripting and miscasting comes back to get him here.more than anything its just boring and predictable.. ... More

Posted by cadz at 14:33, 29 October 2006 | Report This Post

Great and funny movie

I loved this movie. So rude and funny. If you are 12 to whatever age you will enjoy. FOCKING GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... More

Posted by shitmovie at 19:32, 13 September 2006 | Report This Post

Great in places, terrible in others, so uneven but still has some fantastic one-liners. ... More

Posted by Cujo at 13:00, 30 March 2006 | Report This Post

I thought it was ok, could have been better as those two are good at been crap. But in this film they were just rubbish. ... More

Posted by nybras at 21:54, 08 February 2006 | Report This Post

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