Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

Jay and Silent Bob head to Hollywood to sabotage the production of a movie based on their likenesses.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is writer/director Kevin Smith’s thank-you to his fans. Similar to Mallrats, Smith eschews a complex plot for a loose narrative in which he can string together various pop-culture references and homages peppered with his signature dialog. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as Smith manages to work in insights on money, movies, love, and several other topics without seeming forced or contrite.

The script by Smith is littered with self-references, but never feels self-indulgent. Further, many of his references and homages are so subtle that many viewers will miss them entirely, as opposed to feeling alienated. A delicate balance to be sure, but one Smith pulls off with ease.

Performance wise, this is the biggest vehicle yet for Jason Mewes, who exhibits a flair for dialog and seems to have a great sense of timing. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is also littered with cameos, and nearly all of them are inspired. The fact that Smith was able juggle such a large amount of talent is a great reflection of his maturation as a writer and director.

If the movie has any weaknesses, it’s that it feels incomplete. Ordinarily in comedies, a shorter running time is better, but this is one of the few examples where an extra 15 minutes could have given more time to Judd Nelson’s cameo, or fleshed out some of the other characters. Still, I suppose it’s better to err on the side of less rather than more.