Despite Brodie (Jason Lee, reprising his “Mallrats” role) explaining the difference between remakes and reboots, “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” (2019) will do little to clear up the confusion, as – despite its title – it’s a sequel.
Within this sequel, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) travel cross-country to stop “Bluntman v Chronic,” a reboot of “Bluntman and Chronic.” That’s the movie within 2001’s “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” of which this sequel uses the same plot and tons of callbacks – making it a “re-quel,” if you want to get specific.
Less outrageous
Confusing details aside, “Reboot” is easy to watch and consistently amusing for fans of Smith’s work. But it has fewer out-loud laughs than the outrageous “Strike Back.” Its comedy is broader and observational.
To celebrate Kevin Smith’s birthday, from Aug. 1-9 we’re spotlighting some of his work that we haven’t previously reviewed at Reviews from My Couch.
“Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” (2019)
Director: Kevin Smith
Writer: Kevin Smith
Stars: Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Harley Quinn Smith
For example, it references how reboots feature younger and more diverse casts. So instead of the diamond thieves (four white women), this film’s van travelers include a deaf black girl, a Chinese girl and a Muslim girl.
By being less over-the-top, the core problem of Jay and Silent Bob is more apparent: By their nature, they don’t grow as people. They still hang out in front of the Quick Stop (which Brian O’Halloran’s Dante Hicks still owns and operates, as per 2006’s “Clerks II”) and peddle weed.
It goes without saying that Smith and Mewes look like they’ve been through a lot in the intervening years. And literally, it almost goes without saying in the film itself.
We get a quick joke where someone thinks Jay is the older of the pair (he’s four years younger). And Silent Bob, like Smith post-heart attack, is now a vegan. This is good for a gag involving a misunderstanding of an eggplant emoji by a Mooby’s counter lady (Garfunkel & Oates’ Kate Micucci).
A family affair
Granted, Jay does get the central arc where he learns he’s a father of an 18-year-old daughter. This leads to a predictably sweet plot, plus a nice speech by Ben Affleck (in his “Chasing Amy” role, but mirroring his “Jersey Girl” arc) about how fatherhood is now the job he most cares about.
Throw in light jabs at “career-wrecker” Harley Quinn Smith (“Cruel Summer”), who plays Jay’s daughter, and Smith is lightly apologizing to people who haven’t liked his recent work, while also not really apologizing.
But really, it’s not a serious enough movie for any of this to have a lasting impact. Indeed, while Jay gets the core arc, Silent Bob – whom Smith makes too expressive, as if he’s out of practice with the role — doesn’t even get a signature moment (not that he did in “Strike Back” either).
One for the fans
That might be because “Reboot” is a hug-fest between Smith (who also appears as “himself”) and his friends and fans. The grand finale takes place at Chronic-Con (the logo of which directly comes from Comic-Con), and centers on a contest wherein a fan can win a role in “Bluntman v Chronic.”
I have no doubt that – in an example of meta within meta within meta – this sequence was filmed in front of actual fans; maybe they even won contests.
The film also makes reference to the fact that “Bluntman and Chronic” is now owned by Saban Films of “Power Rangers” fame – and “Reboot” itself is distributed by that studio as well as other small-time entities.
Rather surprisingly, one thing has not changed since “Clerks” 25 years prior: Smith still makes small independent films (albeit slicker and with more cameos).
“Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” has less to say than those early efforts. It asks a viewer to set that disappointment aside and enjoy the ride. It’s an easy enough request.