Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Jay & Silent Bob Reboot

 

Jay & Silent Bob Reboot is a 2019 comedy starring Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, and Harley Quinn Smith. The supporting roles include Askewverse regulars such as Shannon Elizabeth, Jennifer Schwalbach, Joey Lauren Adams, Justin Long, Jason Lee, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Biggs, James Van Der Beek, and Rosario Dawson, and very recognizable actors such as Melissa Benoist, Craig Robinson, Joe Manganiello, Diedrich Bader, Val Kilmer, Tommy Chong, Molly Shannon, Fred Armisen, Adam Brody, and Dan Folger (among others). The movie is mostly a nod to the fans and prior movies. It is definitely not as good as Smith's other films, especially Clerks, Chasing Amy, Mallrats, and Dogma. It is partly a spoof of reboots and remakes and partly an homage to the Askewverse movies that came before it. It contains a lot of inside jokes about the actors (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have some good one-liners about their careers) and Smith himself (including a great nepotism joke delivered by his daughter, one of the stars of the movie).

Clearly, Smith did not make the movie to be an award winner or even a great cult classic like some of his others have become. When this came out, it was totally up in the air whether Clerks 3 was ever going to be made (until Jeff Anderson had a change of heart), it was possible that this was going to wrap up the Askewview universe of movies. Obviously, all of the "main" actors and actresses he casts are getting older and Smith had a heart attack, even if more are made, there are certainly not going to be many more. So, if you take it for what it is, and do not expect it to be more than it is, then it is enjoyable with a few laugh-out-loud moments. But, if you expect it to be as good as the best movies Smith has made, you will definitely be disappointed.

For those who get the blu-ray, the extras include a gag reel, which is pretty similar to what is shown in the end credits, cast interviews, and a hair reel. What was included was fine, but it is definitely not a ton of bonus material. Subject to what I said above, if you are a fan of the Jay and Silent Bob movies and accept it for what it is, you will probably enjoy it.